AIIMS Doctors' Strike Called Off

The resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) called off their strike against the delay in awarding their degrees. The decision came in the wake of Union Health Minister Ambumani Ramadoss's warning to agitating doctors. The minister threatened to hire new doctors on contract and suspend the striking doctors if they did not call off the agitation.

Ramadoss assured that doctors who want to go to abroad, will be given certificates on a priority basis and other will get the same within a month. The doctors are planning to approach the Supreme Court in order to get their certificates with immediate effect. It can be recalled that Ramadoss had refused to sign the degree certificates, as they were signed by the Registrar of AIIMS, Dr Sandeep Agarwal, whose appointment did not have the approval of AIIMS Governing Body.

The latest reports suggest that the AIIMS administration has began distributing degree certificates minus Ramadoss's signature. The soured relations between the AIIMS authorities and the Health Minister may reach a point of no return, thanks to the latest development.