Strike at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College: Safety Concerns Amid Allegations

An urgent strike launched by resident doctors at Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, part of Aligarh Muslim University, has severely disrupted emergency medical services. Officials reported the walkout began Thursday afternoon following allegations that a female patient assaulted a resident doctor during a period of heightened stress due to patient overcrowding.

Dr. Akhtar Ali, Vice President of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA), expressed deep security concerns, citing recurring incidents where doctors felt endangered. Despite promises of increased security measures, including a mobile police unit and additional personnel, Ali claims little action has been taken. He criticized the police for their delayed response to the recent assault.

AMU Proctor Naved Khan countered the critiques, stating an FIR was filed quickly and acknowledged the broader staffing shortages due to recruitment freezes. Current talks between university officials and the RDA aim to end the standoff, with potential interim solutions involving personnel redeployment from other departments to critical areas in the college.