Nurse death: AIIMS revokes suspension, docs call off strike

Succumbing to the pressure by the Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA), the AIIMS administration on Tuesday revoked the suspension of five doctors over a nurse’s death due to alleged negligence, which resulted in the association calling off a partial strike.

Preliminary report

However, the order triggered an immediate reaction from the Nurses’ Union at AIIMS, which has planned to hold a protest against the decision.

While issuing the orders, AIIMS referred to the preliminary report by a committee headed Dr. S. C. Sharma, which ruled out any “intentional gross medical negligence” on the part of the team of doctors.

Rajbir Kaur, a nurse with AIIMS, had died during delivery through caesarean section. Ms. Kaur suffered a cardiac arrest during the surgery. During treatment she had lost her baby and was put on life support. She died on Saturday night.

“During our meeting with the administration they said that they are revoking the suspension and we have come back to work immediately,” said a RDA member.

The Nurses’ Union had demanded action against the doctors and had threatened to go on strike following which five doctors were suspended on Sunday.

IMA support

Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) too had extended its support to the doctors and had written to the AIIMS administration.

“We welcome the fact that the AIIMS administration has rolled back the suspension orders as it was a hastily taken decision in the absence of the report of the enquiry committee set up for this purpose, apparently under pressure from the nursing association,” said Dr. K. K. Aggarwal of the IMA.