In a significant development, doctors who had been protesting the tragic rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor at a Kolkata hospital announced on Thursday that they would return to work. This decision follows a decisive ruling by the Supreme Court of India, which directed the doctors to resume their duties immediately, highlighting the essential need to maintain medical services, especially for the country’s impoverished populations.
The Supreme Court’s directive, issued by a bench led by Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud and including Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, came amid nationwide distress over the brutal crime.
During the hearing of petitions related to the incident, Chief Justice Chandrachud emphasized the critical role that doctors play in the public health system and the severe consequences of their absence on the most vulnerable sections of society.
“If doctors are on duty, they will not be marked absent; if not, legal protocols will be followed. Doctors should return to work first, and then if there are any issues, they can approach us. The priority is to ensure that public health services continue,” Chief Justice Chandrachud stated, responding to concerns raised by a lawyer representing resident doctors from AIIMS Nagpur who argued that many doctors were being marked absent due to their participation in the protests.
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The bench’s concern was clear—prolonged delays in medical services, exacerbated by the ongoing protests, were placing an undue burden on patients, with some reportedly waiting up to two years for appointments. The Chief Justice made it unequivocally clear that the welfare of the poor must not be compromised, stating, “Poor people cannot be left in the lurch.”
During the session, a lawyer representing doctors at PGIMER Chandigarh claimed that the doctors were being unfairly targeted due to their involvement in the protests. However, the Chief Justice reiterated that returning to work was imperative for the functioning of the public health system. He assured that the court would intervene to prevent any punitive actions against the doctors once they resumed their duties. “If doctors do not return to work, the public health system will suffer,” he cautioned.
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In an effort to address the broader concerns of the protesting doctors, the Supreme Court also provided assurances regarding the establishment of a National Task Force. This task force will focus on doctors’ working conditions and safety. The Chief Justice clarified that the committee, which will include senior women doctors committed to public health, is tasked with listening to all relevant stakeholders, including interns, residents, and other medical staff. The objective is to ensure that the committee’s work proceeds without disruption and that the voices of all concerned parties are heard.
The protest, which began in response to the horrific crime, had seen doctors ceasing work across several hospitals, raising alarms about the strain on an already burdened public health system. However, with the Supreme Court’s intervention and the assurance of attention to their grievances, the doctors have now agreed to return to their duties, ensuring that medical services for the country’s most vulnerable populations continue uninterrupted.
