Nagpur: Resident doctors at AIIMS-Nagpur have demanded public clarification from a Member of Parliament (MP) from Opposition after his name was allegedly used by relatives of a patient to intimidate doctors. The relatives allegedly assaulted an on-duty resident doctor in the MICU on Sept 22.The Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA) also demanded an end to ‘VIP culture’ for some patients based on references given by politicians, saying all patients should be considered through a common waiting list based on medical needs.RDA has also raised concerns over alleged external and political influence in clinical functioning. It alleged that patients referred by politicians are sometimes given priority in allotting beds in wards or ICU, bypassing the waiting list. It also sought a separate SOP for genuine VIP patients so that clinical decisions and doctors’ working environments are not affected by external pressure.The association said such preferential allotment creates problems, particularly when patients who have been waiting for beds question why someone else is given priority without an urgent medical requirement. It demanded that, except for existing institutional provisions for students and healthcare staff, patients should be considered through a common waiting list based on disease severity and anticipated prognosis, without administrative or political considerations.The RDA sought public clarification about MP’s role in the matter after his name was allegedly used by relatives of a patient to intimidate doctors. It has also demanded that the MP be removed as the member of the statutory body of AIIMS-Nagpur.The RDA has also sought a written SOP for genuine VIP patients, saying it should be restricted to persons recognised as VIPs under law and should not extend to every patient referred by a politically influential person.
