Resident Doctors end strike after meeting with JP Nadda over RG Kar case

The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) announced on August 13 that it had called off its strike after a meeting with Health Minister JP Nadda resulted in the acceptance of all their demands. The strike, which had disrupted medical services across West Bengal, was triggered by the recent tragic incident involving the rape and murder of a trainee doctor at a state-run medical college in Kolkata.

The key outcomes of the meeting include the formation of a new committee, in which FORDA will participate, to expedite the ratification of the Central Healthcare Protection Act. The association's demands, which included swift justice in the Kolkata case, protection from police brutality, and enhanced security measures for healthcare workers, were all agreed upon by the Health Minister.

In a statement, FORDA said, "All demands as written in the letter accepted by Health Minister in a meeting that just ended." With these assurances in place, FORDA has announced that all medical services will return to normal operations starting tomorrow morning.

The strike had seen significant support from junior doctors, who had been advocating for a swift resolution to the issues raised, particularly in light of the recent violence against healthcare workers. The agreement reached with the Health Ministry marks a significant step towards ensuring the safety and security of medical professionals in India.