PGIMER doctors call off 11-day-long protest

Doctors at the Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) here on Thursday ended their 11-day long protest against the rape and murder of a medic in Kolkata. The strike was called off after the Supreme Court made an impassioned appeal to the protesting medics to resume work and directed the Centre to provide safety measures to them.

Following the call of strike by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), the PGIMER authorities said it will resume all the elective services with immediate effect.

The registration of old and new patients in all the outpatient departments (OPDs) will be done from 8 am to 11 am from August 23 onwards, said a PGIMER statement.


The Supreme Court on Thursday asked the protesting doctors to resume work and assured them that no adverse action would be taken after they rejoin.

"We conclude the 11-day strike with various activities and public awareness demonstrations. We shall join all elective OPD, OT, wards with the immediate effect," said a statement of the ARD, PGIMER.

The ARD thanked the PGIMER director and the medical superintendent for their support and cooperation.

"We convey our thanks to faculty members and the faculty association for their extended support," it further said.

The protest by doctors at the PGIMER came in response to a nationwide indefinite strike call by the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) after the postgraduate trainee doctor was raped and murdered at the RG Kar Medical College while on duty.

During the protest, elective services remained affected but the emergency services at the hospital continued at the PGIMER.

Outpatient department services had also been curtailed during the protest.