AIIMS woman doctor suicide: NCW urges Health Ministry to order immediate inquiry

New Delhi: The National Commission for Women (NCW) has written to the Union Health Ministry asking it to conduct an immediate inquiry into the alleged suicide attempt by a woman doctor at the AIIMS here apparently over caste and gender based discrimination and harassment.

The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of AIIMS had written to Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Sunday about the administration's "inaction" on the alleged harassment of the resident doctor on the basis of caste and gender by the faculty at the premier hospital.

The female doctor attempted suicide on Friday, one of her colleagues at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here said.

Taking cognisance of the matter, the National Commission for Women has written to Preeti Sudan, Secretary, Ministry of Health & Family Welfare and the Director, All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi, for an immediate inquiry and details of the action-taken report to be sent at the earliest to the Commission.

The NCW, in a statement, said it was concerned over the matter and "requests that an inquiry shall be done in the alleged harassment, and action be taken to prevent recurrence of such incidents in future".

Further, measures should be taken to ensure safety and security of women staff and doctors in all AIIMS departments, it said.