Hindu Rao doctors strike work, surgeries postponed

The doctors were back to treating patients by 4pm after senior North Delhi Municipal Corporation officials visited them and assured them of a “safer work atmosphere”. But late in the night, they said the strike was on.

At least 50-60 surgeries were postponed and over 5,000 patients were affected as resident doctors and medical interns at Hindu Rao Hospital continued their strike for the second consecutive day on Monday.

Patients stand in queue inside the Hindu Rao Hospital as doctors are on strike, in New Delhi, India, on Monday, July 01, 2019. Doctors abandoned work after a relative of a patient allegedly attacked a doctor at Malka Ganj.(Sanchit Khanna / Hindustan Times)

The doctors were back to treating patients by 4pm after senior North Delhi Municipal Corporation officials visited them and assured them of a “safer work atmosphere”. But late in the night, they said the strike was on.

The doctors had decided not to attend to patients after a mob comprising 70-80 persons, reportedly related to a patient who died at the hospital, vandalised the hospital premises and beat up the medical staff late Saturday night.

Doctors at the hospital said that in the incident, two nursing staff, a junior doctor and an intern were thrashed. While the junior doctor, Rajesh Kumar, who was hit on the head with rods sustained severe injuries and is currently being treated, the intern was discharged after being treated for external injuries.

An FIR under IPC sections 186, 353, 332 and 34 — all of which pertain to obstructing a public servant from carrying out duty — was registered at Subzi Mandi police station.

Patients, however, had a tough time on Monday.

Ranjan Kumar, a resident of Narela, said, “The out-patient departments are not functioning. I came as I wanted my wife to see a gynaecologist. However, all we could see are sloganeering doctors and empty desks. We entered the hospital at 6am to avoid queues but all in vain.”

This is the second time doctors of the civic-run hospital went on a strike. In May, doctors boycotted work after not being paid for three months. “Our working conditions are going from bad to worse. We don’t get paid, relatives of patients bash us up at will due to lack of security personnel. We want the hospital to file an institutional FIR into Saturday’s incident. Besides, we want professional bouncers and a PCR van at the hospital,” said Dr Sanjeev Choudhary, general secretary, Resident Doctors’ Association.

Rahul Chaudhary, president of the RDA, Hindu Rao Hospital, said North corporation visited officials assured them of a “safer work environment.” However, he said, “We will strike again if our demands are not met.”

North corporation commissioner, Varsha Joshi, said, “We are putting up a police post at the hospital and I will take all steps necessary to ensure safety and orderly functioning...”