Junior doctors at Ranchi's RIMS end 'pen down' agitation

Junior doctors at the state-run Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Ranchi on Thursday evening decided to withdraw their ongoing 'pen down' agitation over the alleged rape and murder of a woman medic in Kolkata.

"We are resuming duties and calling off our ‘pen down agitation’ following an appeal by the Supreme Court and a meeting with the state health minister," Ankit Kumar, president of the Junior Doctor's Association (JDA), RIMS, told PTI.

Earlier in the day, making an impassioned appeal to the agitating doctors across the country, the apex court urged them to get back to work, saying "justice and medicine" cannot be stopped. It also directed no coercive action against them.

The junior doctors have been on strike since August 13, boycotting work at the outpatient department (OPD) and elective surgeries.

"We had a meeting with the Jharkhand health minister on Wednesday and the RIMS administration on Thursday. They addressed several of our issues such as providing adequate security and proper rest rooms, installation of street lights across all medical colleges and hospitals in the state," Kumar stated.

The doctors will, however, sport black ribbons on their arms while on duty till the culprits are brought to book, he added.

The body of the trainee doctor was found with injury marks in a seminar room of the RG Kar hospital in Kolkata on August 9. The incident has triggered nationwide protests.