Resident doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur have launched an indefinite strike following the death of a 31-year-old colleague. While emergency services remain functional, routine outpatient consultations are suspended as protesters demand compensation and administrative reforms regarding working conditions.
AIIMS Jodhpur has suspended routine outpatient department services following an indefinite strike initiated by resident doctors. The protest stems from the death of a 31-year-old postgraduate trainee from the anesthesiology department, whose body was discovered while on duty at the facility.
To ensure basic medical care continues, the hospital administration has kept emergency and critical care services operational. Despite the disruption to routine elective procedures and general consultations, the management aims to prevent a complete collapse of patient services during this period of unrest.
The resident doctors have outlined several demands, including ₹5 crore in financial compensation for the family of the deceased. Additionally, the protesters are seeking systemic changes to the current work environment, citing concerns over long duty hours and high patient workloads. The demonstrators have also demanded the resignation of the institute’s executive director, pointing to what they describe as administrative failures in maintaining safe working conditions for medical staff.
Local authorities have commenced a forensic investigation into the circumstances surrounding the death. Investigators are currently analyzing evidence recovered from the site, including the victim’s mobile device, to establish the facts. As of now, the administration has not issued a formal agreement regarding the demands for institutional reform or the calls for leadership changes.
This incident brings attention to the ongoing operational challenges faced by large government-run medical institutes, particularly concerning the management of resident doctor workloads. The standoff between the resident doctors' association and the hospital management remains unresolved. The next critical development for patients and stakeholders will be the progress of the official investigation and any potential mediation to restore full hospital operations.