Kolkata rape-murder: Resident doctors to protest at Jantar Mantar on day 10 of strike
New Delhi (PTI): Resident doctors will stage a protest at Jantar Mantar in Delhi on Wednesday, the 10th day of their indefinite strike over the alleged rape and murder of a medic in a Kolkata hospital.
Elective services in several government hospitals across the city have remained suspended due to the protests.
AIIMS, GTB, Lady Hardinge Medical College & Associated Hospitals, Maulana Azad Medical College and its associated hospitals have released individual statements urging participation in the silent protest.
After the Supreme Court hearing on Tuesday, the central government-run RML Hospital had called off the strike, saying, "The Ministry of Health and the Medical Superintendent's office have assured that all necessary permissions for enhanced security measures at medical institutions have been obtained with a 45-day timeline set for implementation."
However, within an hour, the RML RDA clarified, "There was some miscommunication, and we apologize for the same. We want to clarify that we stand with our colleagues and other RDAs. We will make our decision only after there is a consensus among all RDAs, and the common decision of all RDAs will be our decision. We stand united."
The apex court on Tuesday constituted a 10-member task force to formulate a national protocol to ensure safety and facilities for the doctors. It also requested the protesting doctors to end the strike, saying abstention from the work of doctors affects those segments of the society that are in need of medical care.
Members of Resident Doctors' Association from major hospitals in Delhi, along with the Federation of Resident Doctors' Associations (FORDA) and the Federation of All India Medical Associations (FAIMA), have been on an indefinite strike.
On Tuesday, after conducting a meeting with the RDA members, both the bodies representing the resident doctors released a statement saying they will continue with the strike until the Health Ministry takes concrete action on the issue of CPA.
On August 9, the body of the postgraduate trainee doctor was found in the seminar hall of state-run RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata. A civic volunteer was arrested in connection with the crime the next day. Later, the Calcutta High Court handed over the case to the CBI.
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Maharashtra sets up state vaccination task force to strengthen immunisation programme
Mumbai (PTI): The Maharashtra government has set up a State Vaccination Task Force to strengthen the regular immunisation programme and review the progress of related campaigns, a health department official said on Monday.
The State Vaccination Task Force will comprise at least 29 members and will be headed by the administrative head of the health department, he informed.
The government has also constituted separate district-level and municipal vaccination task forces to improve implementation and address challenges at the grassroots level, he said.
Municipal task forces, chaired by respective civic commissioners, have been constituted in view of the vast urban population in Maharashtra and the role of civic bodies in implementing different health programmes.
The district-level task forces will function under the chairmanship of collectors.
"Complete immunisation of children at the appropriate age is an extremely simple, cost-effective and highly effective measure to reduce child mortality and the prevalence of diseases among kids. Immunisation is a powerful tool for reducing illness in children," maintained the official.
To ensure full vaccination of all children, the state government implements various campaigns from time to time as per the central government guidelines, he pointed out.
"Active participation and cooperation of other relevant government departments are essential (in making these campaigns successful)," according to the official.
The state-level body will review the regular immunisation programme, associated campaigns and vaccine-preventable diseases in detail. It will also conduct focused assessments of high-risk districts and municipal corporations, including vacancies at district, municipal and sub-district levels, availability of cold chain equipment, resource gaps and training requirements, he noted.
The state task force will review allocation and utilisation of funds for immunisation and ensure timely action by officers concerned based on reports from district and municipal task forces and state-level monitoring mechanisms, the official said.
It will also ensure active coordination and participation of other government departments in immunisation drives, while district and municipal task forces will carry out similar functions at their respective levels, the official added.
