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Out-patient services were disrupted in most of the city’s hospitals on Friday, with doctors threatening to escalate their protests by shutting down emergency services if their demands were not met.
Doctors from multiple hospitals in the city participated in the protest, with the Delhi Police barricading the Safdarjung flyover to prevent the protesters from reaching Nirman Bhawan.
Dr. Suvrankar Datta, vice-president of the Resident Doctors’ Association, AIIMS, shared a video on X, explaning, “We planned a peaceful protest with all Delhi medical colleges outside Nirman Bhawan. We wanted to submit a memorandum to the health minister. But we are not being allowed to reach there even in our vehicle or cabs.”
Eventually, the protesters did manage to reach the Minister’s office, where they lobbied for their demands to be met. Later, on Friday evening, the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) organized a separate candle march from Safdarjung Hospital, with the aim to march to India Gate but were stopped by police on the Safdarjung flyover. “We are shutting down the entirety of Delhi tomorrow,” warned Dr Ashwini Dalmia, immediate past president of Delhi Medical Association, who supported the FORDA agitation. “Doctors from govt and private hospitals, including those from Gangaram, Apollo, Akash, Holy Family and Batra hospitals are in solidarity and are ready to shut down their OPDs for 24 hours.”
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The protesters made their demands heard with slogans such as, “Hum apna adhikar mangte, nahi kisi se bheek mangte,” translated to, “We are asserting our right, not seeking any charity.” They also chanted, “Ek do teen chaar, band karo yeh atyachar,” urging an end to oppressive practices against the medical community.
Protesting doctors also demanded fair treatment and timely resolution of their grievances with slogans like, “No safety, no duty,” and “Justice delayed is justice denied.”
Throughout the day, various hospitals in Delhi saw protests as healthcare professionals united to voice their concerns. Faculty members, nurses, and students from University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital joined the protesting residents in a march from the UCMS-GTBH complex to Swami Dayanand Hospital.
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Parallel protests occurred at Lady Hardinge Medical College and Apollo Hospital, where healthcare workers gathered to articulate their grievances. At Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, doctors and healthcare workers convened at the PGIMER building, chanting slogans that echoed their call for freedom from fear.
The proposed Healthcare Services Personnel and Clinical Establishments (Prohibition of Violence and Damage to Property) Bill, 2019, was intended to protect healthcare professionals and medical facilities. It was drafted and circulated for feedback five years ago but has since been stalled. In a written response to the Rajya Sabha in February last year, then Union health minister Mansukh Mandaviya said, “It was decided not to enact a separate legislation for prohibiting violence against doctors and other healthcare professionals. Healthcare workers were protected under existing laws.”