Shimla/New Delhi | April 7
After a long and bruising battle, resident doctors across India are finally inching closer to fair working conditions.
The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health has recommended pilot-like duty hour regulations, admitting fatigue as a serious risk to patient safety.
Chaired by Ram Gopal Yadav, the panel said excessive workloads are driving medical errors and called for a “Clinical Duty Hours Regulation” policy with fixed hours, mandatory rest, and monitored rosters.
Welcoming the move, Dr. Lakshya Mittal of the United Doctors Front said:
“This validates our long fight. Fatigue is a patient safety issue—regulated duty hours will save lives and protect doctors.”
He has urged Union Health Minister J. P. Nadda to implement the norms immediately.
The UDF also pressed for strict enforcement of the 1992 residency rules limiting duty to 48 hours a week, warning that violations could invite action under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
With a PIL already in the Supreme Court, doctors say the ball is now in the government’s court.
#ResidentDoctors #PatientSafety #HealthcareReform #DutyHours #IndiaHealth
