AIIMS Jodhpur Protest: Director Shifted To Delhi, Jammu AIIMS Chief Given Additional Charge

AIIMS Jodhpur Executive Director Goverdhan Dutt Puri has been directed to report to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in New Delhi and remain available for duties with immediate effect, according to an official order issued on September 27. The move came amid protests by resident doctors following the death of a first-year resident doctor. The protest was subsequently called off after the government announced several measures.

Dr Sanjeev Sinha, Executive Director of AIIMS Jammu, has been given additional charge of Executive Director of AIIMS Jodhpur until further orders.

Dr Raj Naresh Yadav, a first-year resident in the Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, was found unconscious in a bathroom in the doctors’ rest area on September 22 while on duty. He was later declared dead. Reports have described the death as a suspected suicide, while police and institutional inquiries are looking into the circumstances. Yadav was reported to be 31 years old. 

Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat said the government accepted measures sought by resident doctors following discussions with their representatives and Union Health Minister J P Nadda.

AIIMS Jodhpur Protest

Resident doctors at AIIMS Jodhpur began an indefinite strike on September 23 following Yadav’s death. The doctors raised concerns about working conditions, duty hours, workload, resident welfare and accountability, among other issues. 

Shekhawat said the resident doctors had been holding a peaceful protest and that, as Jodhpur’s representative, he had a responsibility to help resolve their concerns, particularly as patient services were also being affected.

On Saturday, Shekhawat visited AIIMS Jodhpur and met representatives of the protesting resident doctors. He subsequently took up their charter of demands with Union Health Minister J P Nadda and held several rounds of discussions with the residents’ representatives. On Sunday afternoon, he personally informed the protesters about the decisions taken by the government.

Under the measures announced, Puri was directed to report to the Health Ministry in Delhi. The government also announced that resident doctors would not be assigned continuous duty beyond 12 hours, citing concerns over workload and work-related stress.

The AIIMS Jodhpur library will remain open round the clock to support students with their academic requirements.

Resident Doctors’ Association, AIIMS Jodhpur Student Body Recognised By Government

The government also decided to formally recognise the Resident Doctors’ Association and the student body at AIIMS Jodhpur at the administrative level, following the arrangement at AIIMS Delhi. This will provide students with a formal channel to raise their concerns with the administration.

Shekhawat further said that the process for providing ex-gratia assistance to the deceased doctor’s family had been initiated. The formalities for releasing the compensation will be completed after the post-mortem report is received, after which the amount will be transferred to the family.

With Sinha taking additional charge of AIIMS Jodhpur while continuing as the Director of AIIMS Jammu, a stop-gap administrative arrangement has been put in place to ensure that routine functioning is not disrupted. 

The Health Ministry has directed that a five-member faculty committee be constituted within five days to support the executive director holding additional charge. The committee will facilitate coordinated decisions concerning patient care, academic activities, student and resident welfare and other institutional matters.

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