Arunachal doctors calls off 48-hour shutdown after government assurances

The medical fraternity in Arunachal Pradesh has withdrawn its 48-hour shutdown of hospital services following crucial talks with state ministers who promised immediate action on doctor safety concerns.

The shutdown, which had paralysed healthcare across the state since morning, was called off after Health Minister Biyuram Wahge and Home Minister Mama Natung met with representatives from four major medical associations on September 12.

During the high-level meeting at the Civil Secretariat in Itanagar, both ministers agreed to all demands raised by the medical fraternity and assured their fulfillment at the earliest, according to official minutes of the meeting.

The protest was triggered by a brutal assault on two doctors at the Tomo Riba Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (TRIHMS) on September 11. The victims, including an MBBS student from Telangana, were attacked with an iron rod inside an indoor ward, sustaining serious injuries that galvanised medical professionals across the state.

Government and private hospitals had suspended all non-emergency services during the shutdown, forcing thousands of patients to delay treatment and leaving families scrambling for alternatives. At TRIHMS, the state's premier medical institute, outpatient departments remained locked while diagnostic labs and inpatient services were reduced to a bare minimum.

The medical associations - APDA, IMA-AP, TFA, and TNAI - had demanded stronger security measures in hospitals and legal safeguards for healthcare workers before agreeing to resume services.

Following the government's assurances, the medical fraternity decided to call off the 48-hour shutdown with immediate effect. The decision was formalised through a joint memorandum signed by representatives from all participating medical associations.

To address ongoing concerns, the government has agreed to convene a mass meeting with the medical fraternity at TRIHMS on September 13, at 8:00 am.

However, the medical fraternity has warned that they will resume their protest if the government fails to deliver on its promises. The agreement states that medical professionals will follow up on government assurances and take further action if demands are not fulfilled.

The agreement was signed by ten medical professionals representing various associations, along with both state ministers, marking a temporary resolution to the healthcare crisis that had gripped Arunachal Pradesh.