No degrees; 1,200 AIIMS docs go on strike | The tussle

BITTER PILL: The doctors are upset that at least 700 medical degrees are pending with Health Minister for his signature.

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• AIIMS producing docs for UK, US: Ramadoss
• Ramadoss too busy to sign degrees, docs go on strike
• AIIMS-Govt power struggle leaves docs helpless

Keywords: Degrees, Dean

New Delhi: At least 1,200 resident doctors of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) went on a flash strike on Tuesday evening expressing their displeasure with Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

However, the doctors have assured that the ICU and emergency services at the hospital will not to be affected for next 12 hours.

The doctors are upset that at least 700 medical degrees are pending with Ramadoss for his signature - a bureaucratic delay that is affecting their chances of going abroad for further studies or work.

In fact, some of the doctors have been waiting for two years to get their degrees.

President of AIIMS Resident Doctors' Association Harish Kumar told CNN-IBN the doctors were being "forced" to the strike by Ramadoss himself. "We will end the strike in five minutes if the Minister signs our degrees. We are not protesters who would enjoy going on strikes. But Minister is not bothered and is just enjoying is his life somewhere. I pray to God that we are not forced into extending the strike," he said.

AIIMS vs Health Ministry

This is the latest in the tug of war between the Health Ministry and India's top medical institute, which is getting fierce by the day.

The AIIMS faculty is up in arms against Ramadoss, protesting a bill that will enable the removal of their director P Venugopal.

In a recent AIIMS faculty association meeting, over 200 senior doctors decided to petition Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to stop Ramadoss from passing the AIIMS amendment bill that will bring changes to the AIIMS Act 1956.

"The health minister has already introduced a bill in Parliament without even consulting the institute. His intention is clear - to oust our director P Venugopal," a senior office bearer of the AIIMS faculty association told IANS.

"Instead of targeting a single doctor, he should have included (recommendations of) the MS Velliathan Committee report submitted earlier this year, which recommends IIT and IIM type autonomy to the institute."

The premier AIIMS has been described by Newsweek magazine as a medical "oasis of the poor" and treats at least 8,000 people every day. Patients from across the country avail treatment here for a nominal fee.

On August 17, the Health Minister - who is also the AIIMS president - had introduced the All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Post Graduate Institute of Medical Research Amendment Bill.

The bill has the provision to fix the term of AIIMS director and if passed in Parliament, can even evict Venugopal from his current post.

(With IANS inputs)