15,000 Delhi govt hospital doctors to go on strike on Wednesday

There will be a complete shutdown of all OPDs in these hospitals, which treat around 50,000 patients every day, during the strike by at least 15,000 doctors.

Thousands of doctors in Delhi’s 36 state-run hospitals have threatened to go on a strike from Wednesday to protest the government’s decision to extend the timings of the out-patient departments by two hours.

File photo of Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi. Thousands of doctors in Delhi’s state-run hospitals have threatened to go on a strike to protest the government’s decision to extend the timings of the out-patient departments by two hours. (HT Photo)

There will be a complete shutdown of all OPDs in these hospitals, which treat around 50,000 patients every day, during the strike by at least 15,000 doctors.

“We have decided to keep the emergency departments at all hospitals running so that medical care can be provided to those in dire need,” said Dr Vivek Chouksey, president of the Federation Of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA).

The Aam Aadmi Party-led government extended the OPD timings in an order dated October 9, saying they will remain functional from 8am to 2pm so that doctors get enough time to attend to patients and reduce huge crowds at the hospitals. The OPD timing was from 9:00am to 1:00pm earlier.

The doctors have demanded that the duty hours of other staff like nurses and lab technicians must also be extended and an adequate number of medical staff must be posted at the OPDs for their smooth functioning.

“Long queues were observed at government hospital pharmacies and registration counters. Though the government hospitals have been ordered to extend the OPD hours, how is it expected to reduce the long queues at the above-mentioned places?” FORDA asked in its letter to the Delhi government.

After reaching out to the government, the doctors have decided to protest by going to work with black ribbons.

“The government refused to listen to us and so we are forced to go on a strike,” said Dr Chauksey.

The association has also threatened that more than 5,000 resident doctors at central government-run hospitals like Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge and ESI Hospitals will also join their strike if the Delhi government does not respond to its demands.