AIIMS Jodhpur forms panel to probe resident doctor's death, urges for strike to end

Resident doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur have begun an indefinite strike after Dr Rajnaresh Yadav's death. The protest has widened into demands for accountability, compensation and institutional reforms.

In Short

• Resident doctors on indefinite strike demanding ED's resignation
• Separate committee set up to address doctors' grievances
• AIIMS urges strike withdrawal, promises grievance resolution soon

The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Jodhpur has constituted an in-house inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the death of resident doctor Dr Rajnaresh Yadav and urged protesting resident doctors to call off their indefinite strike.

In a letter dated September 23, AIIMS Jodhpur Executive Director Dr Goverdhan Dutt Puri said the matter relating to Yadav's death was already under investigation by the police. He said an in-house inquiry committee headed by the Dean Academic had also been constituted to enquire into the circumstances leading to the "unfortunate incident".

The administration also acknowledged the concerns raised by resident doctors regarding working conditions and other issues they face while discharging their duties. It said a separate committee had been constituted to look into their grievances and asked representatives of the residents to submit their suggestions to the committee.

The development came after resident doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur began an indefinite strike on Wednesday, demanding the resignation of the institute's Executive Director and accountability over the alleged suicide of a resident doctor on the campus a day earlier.

The institute expressed its "deepest condolences" over the "tragic and untimely demise" of Dr Rajnaresh Yadav, a postgraduate student of the Anaesthesiology and Critical Care Department.

Yadav, a first-year resident of the anaesthesia department, was found unconscious in the bathroom of a doctors' resting area during a break from his duty at the operation theatre (OT) on Tuesday afternoon. He was later declared dead.

The protesting doctors also took out a candle march on Wednesday evening and paid tribute to Yadav.

Following a meeting with students and colleagues, the resident doctors decided to suspend elective OT procedures and routine outpatient department (OPD) services from Thursday and continue the strike until the administration takes satisfactory and time-bound action on their demands.

Emergency OPD and emergency OT services, however, will continue to function as essential services and remain unaffected by the strike, they said.

The Resident Doctors' Association has called for immediate measures to address concerns relating to working conditions, duty hours, workload, resident welfare mechanisms and institutional safeguards for residents and students.

Among its key demands, the association has sought a public apology and acknowledgement from the AIIMS administration, along with Rs 5-crore financial compensation for Yadav's family.

It has also demanded that all pending dues, benefits, insurance claims and other legitimate entitlements of the deceased be extended to his family, besides providing all possible institutional support.

The residents have further demanded official recognition of the resident doctors' association and the associated students' union to establish a regular and formal channel of communication between students, residents and the administration.

The protesting doctors said their demands were not limited to the circumstances surrounding the death of one resident doctor but were aimed at bringing about institutional reforms to ensure the safety, dignity, health and welfare of residents and students.

AIIMS URGES RESIDENT DOCTORS TO END STRIKE

In its letter, the AIIMS administration said a strike by resident doctors would "severely impact" the health infrastructure of the region and hamper patient-care services in both indoor and outdoor departments.

"I therefore strongly appeal to you to call off the strike in the interest of the patient care and your professional duty as a healer," Dr Puri said.

The administration said the concerns raised by the residents were under "close examination & consideration" and requested them to resume their duties urgently, keeping patient safety in view.

"We assure you to resolve all your grievances at the earliest," the letter said.

- Ends