An official spokesman of AIIMS said today that the out-patients departments (OPDs), emergency services, routine operations and laboratory and diagnostic services ``have been closed down in view of the indefinite strike''. He said: ``There will be no new admissions during the strike, but patients already admitted will be looked after till they are discharged.''

He added: ``This decision has been taken because resident doctors do not have the resources to run the health services. The solution is now in the government's hands, we are waiting for their response.'' The AIIMS administration has also told the Delhi police that all medico legal cases will be diverted to other hospitals during the strike. The police have been requested not to bring any new cases to AIIMS.

Meanwhile, the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) today said they are not participating in the strike. They have offered to provide medical care to the patients admitted in the hospital, ``if allowed to''.

Dr Pankaj Gupta, general secretary of the RDA said: ``Instead of preparing a contingency plan, the management has issued orders to stop medical services. This is not surprising as most of the members of the administration are from the faculty.'' This is the first time that the AIIMS faculty has decided to go on strike en masse. They are demanding the implementation of the recommendations of a committee headed by Union Health Secretary K.K. Bakshi, which looked into the structure of pay scales. The FAIMS contends that negotiations with the government on their demand for higher pay scales have not produced positive results.

On February 1, the faculty had gone on a one-day strike to voice their demands. Murli Manohar Joshi held talks with members later in the day and assured them that he would present their case before the ministerial committee. But the faculty members now think the government is deliberately dragging its feet on the issue.

``The government is responsible for the health of a country. Here governments are ready to give land worth Rs 100 crore free of cost for the setting up of a private hospital but are not willing to spend an extra Rs 40 lakh annually to retain the best doctors and teachers in an institute meant for the people,'' said a senior member of the faculty. ``In 10 years, the extra money we have demanded will only amount to Rs 4 crore''.