Mumbai: Over 1,700 resident doctors in
Maharashtra have called off their four-day strike and resumed
work after assurances from top state health and civic
officials over security arrangements in hospitals.
The resident doctors were on an indefinite strike since
Thursday after few doctors were physically assaulted by some
relatives of a patient at Sion Hospital in Mumbai and CGHS in
Aurangabad.
The resident doctors last evening had a detailed meeting
with Maharashtra Health secretary I S Chahal, Director of
Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) PS
Shingare and Deans of medical colleges, including JJ
Hospital, Sion Hospital and KEM Hospital, over the security
issues.
"The DMER has agreed to set up a security committee for
each hospital within seven days and they shall review the
requirements of each hospital," Maharashtra Association of
Resident Doctors (MARD) representatives said.
"Since we got the assurance and also in view of the
inconvenience caused to patients, we joined our duties after
8.30 pm last night," Yogesh Pawar, MARD President of Sion
Hospital said.
"We also had a positive talk with Mumbai Municipal
Commissioner Subodh Kumar on Saturday. Shingare has also
assured us that the problems related with steep hike in
college fees and better hostel facilities will be looked
into," he said.
Patients at various hospitals in the state had faced
hardships during the strike period. Departmental heads at
several hospitals said over 50 per cent of their scheduled
surgeries had to be postponed.
Meanwhile, police have arrested those who had assaulted
the doctors in Mumbai and Aurangabad.
PTI
