Zeenews Bureau
Jodhpur: A section of doctors in Jodhpur,
on a strike against alleged lathicharge on medicos here,
called off their agitation after authorities took action on their demand, reports indicated.
"The decision to call off the strike was taken after a
meeting was held between the striking doctors and the Jodhpur
Divisional Commissioner and Collector in the evening,"
Principal Secretary (Medical Education) Mukesh Sharma said
here.
In Jodhpur, the Resident Doctors` Action
Committee Convenor Ajay Malviya told reporters that the strike
was called off after the state officials assured to take
action on their four-point demands, including removal of one
additional SP and an ADM city, and FIR against the attendant
who triggered the clash.
The government also assured to pay compensation to
doctors whose equipment, computers and domestic gadgets were
damaged during the police action, he said.
"This is not our victory over agitation. This is a
protection of our self-respect," Malviya said.
On Saturday night, attendees of an injured patient Nemi
Chand Mali allegedly misbehaved with resident doctors on duty
at MDM government hospital in Jodhpur, official sources said.
A scuffle soon broke out between the medics and the kin of the
patient following which police resorted to lathicharge to
control the situation, they said.
Demanding action against senior police and administration
officials, private and government doctors went on a strike in
around 40 hospitals in Jodhpur, while resident doctors struck
work in Jaipur, Kota, Ajmer and Bikaner.
Medical services were virtually paralysed in five major
districts of Rajasthan due to the strike, crippling services at all six government medical colleges and their affiliated hospitals amid reports that around 55 patients have lost their lives during the stir.
While the outdoor patient departments (OPD) have been severely affected at all the hospitals following the strike that began Sunday, the indoor patients have been left to the mercy of nursing staff.
The government-run medical services have been hit in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Kota and Udaipur. Jodhpur is the worst hit by the strike.
According to local media reports, at least 55 people, including seven infants, have died in Rajasthan due to lack of proper medical care at the government hospitals since Sunday. The state government has not confirmed the number of deaths.
"We are not sure about the number of deaths...we cannot say for sure that these deaths have occurred due to the strike. It is to be probed as we have to verify facts," said state Health Minister A.A. Khan.
"Our priority is to provide medical care for the patients. We are making alternate arrangements in all the hospitals so that patients receive the best possible treatment," he said.
"We also appeal to the doctors to come back to work," the health minister said, adding that, if necessary, the state government would invoke the provisions of the Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the striking doctors.
-Agencies inputs
