Resident doctors demand 48-hour weekly duty rule, revocation of LLRM Meerut doctors' suspensions

Lucknow: Following the suspension of two doctors at the state-run Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial (LLRM) Medical College in Meerut after a viral video showed a junior resident doctor asleep on a chair while a critically injured accident victim reportedly bled to death, doctors across the state have demanded the public release of the duty rosters for all resident doctors at the hospital since January and called for the immediate revocation of the punitive action taken against the junior doctor.

The doctors have criticised the shortage of manpower and inadequate facilities in government hospitals across the state, which they say leave citizens struggling to access timely treatment. Rather than addressing these systemic issues with concrete measures, scapegoating a resident doctor is unfair, they said. If such practices continue, resident doctors may be forced to launch a “Work to Rule” campaign.

In a letter to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, the Uttar Pradesh chapter of the United Doctors Front (UDF) Association has also demanded the implementation of a 48-hour weekly duty rule for resident doctors in all government and private medical education institutions across the state.

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Expressing condolences for the deceased, the association wrote, “The unfortunate demise of a patient at Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial College, Meerut, due to inadequate treatment is deeply regrettable. The UDF expresses its condolences and pays tribute to the deceased.”

Medical Dialogues recently reported on a shocking video from the state-run Lala Lajpat Rai Memorial Medical College in Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, that went viral on social media, sparking widespread outrage. The footage showed a junior resident doctor from the orthopaedics department asleep on a chair with his leg propped up on a nearby table in front of an air conditioner, while a critically injured accident victim lay bleeding and unattended on a bed in front of him for hours, eventually passing away.

According to reports, the junior doctor was reportedly on duty when the patient was admitted to the hospital's emergency ward. The purported video of the incident showed that the patient was accompanied by around seven attendants. He was lying on a bed as the attendants waited and pleaded helplessly for the doctor to wake up and attend to him. A woman carrying a child in her arms can be seen in the video trying to wake the sleeping doctor. She stood beside him, visibly confused and unsure of what to do next. Despite her efforts, the doctor remained asleep, and the critically injured patient ultimately bled to death.

Taking cognisance of the matter, the medical college administration suspended the junior doctor and another doctor involved with the incident with immediate effect and formed a three-member committee to probe the matter thoroughly.

To prevent such tragidies in the future, the UDF Uttar Pradesh has urged the government to publicly disclose the actual duty chart of all resident doctors at the LLRM Medical College and Hospital from January to the present and implement the standardized 48-hour weekly duty schedule for resident doctors in all government and private medical education institutions across Uttar Pradesh, in accordance with regulations.

Commenting on the matter, National Spokesperson of UDF, Dr Yagika Pareek, told Medical Dialogues, "Overburdened doctors require transparent duty rosters and fair working hours to prevent such incidents. With immediate changes, resident doctors need to adopt ‘Work to Rule’ to demand accountability."

The association has reiterated its demand for the immediate withdrawal of the punitive action against the junior doctor. "The lack of adequate manpower and facilities in the state’s government hospitals is forcing citizens to struggle for proper treatment. Instead of addressing these systemic issues with concrete measures, scapegoating a resident doctor is unjust. Should such practices continue, resident doctors may be compelled to initiate a “Work to Rule” campaign," the letter stated.

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