The medicos blocked the road outside AIIMS and Safdarjung

NEW DELHI: As doctors of AIIMS and Safdarjung, two central government hospitals, continued to boycott work for the third consecutive day on

Saturday in protest against the National Medical Commission Bill, the Union health ministry warned them of punitive action, such as suspension or even termination of service, if they didn’t report to work immediately.

The two hospital administrations also issued stern memorandums to the resident doctors asking them to promptly resume work.

In the past three days since the protests over the Bill began, more than 1,000 routine surgeries have been postponed or cancelled across the city’s public hospitals, according to health officials.

Patients helpless as doctors dig in

No new patient is being admitted; doctors are taking care of those already admitted and attending to emergency cases only. “All members of Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) and student union are hereby directed to resume their duties in their respective departments with immediate effects, failing which strict disciplinary action like suspension/termination of services, vacation of hostel accommodation, etc may be taken,” AIIMS administration said in the memorandum. This was echoed by Dr Sunil Gupta, medical director at Safdarjung Hospital, in another memo random.

Patients and their families are helpless. “What is our fault in all this? I travelled with my 70-year-old father from Dilshad Garden to AIIMS at 7 am on Friday because we had an appointment. But when we reached, the doctors simply told us to come on August 14,” Sanjay Paswan, a 34-year-old man, said.

At AIIMS, emergency services improved on Saturday as resident doctors decided not to disrupt them. But OPD and routine surgeries remained paralysed. Safdarjung, which is one of the largest central government-run hospital, faced a similar crisis.

The doctors, however, continued their protests, claiming some provisions in the NMC Bill were “anti-poor, anti-student and undemocratic”.

Dr Prakash Thakur, RDApresident, Safdarjung Hospital, said the protest would continue. A member of the AIIMS resident doctors association said they would request the President of India to intervene and make necessary amendments in the Bill in the interest of both the patients and doctors.

