Protesting medicos call off strike

Medicos of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital called off their strike after Delhi Health Minister assured them that their demand for security would be looked into.

Medicos of Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Hospital, who had been protesting the alleged manhandling of a senior doctor, called off their strike on the third day on Friday after Delhi Health Minister Yoganand Shastri assured them that their demand for security would be looked into.

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"We called off the protest after the health minister gave us a written assurance to provide better security as well as civic amenities," said Manish Nathani, vice president of the LNJP resident doctors association.

Since Wednesday, nearly 1,500 medicos, including 700 resident doctors, had been on strike against the alleged manhandling of a senior resident doctor by relatives of a patient. They were joined on Thursday by around 800 nurses, paralysing the state-run hospital's crowded emergency and outdoor patients departments.

Nathani said at least 50 cases of manhandling of doctors by patients' relatives have been reported in the last one year. He alleged that in the last two weeks there were three cases of manhandling of doctors, which forced them to go on a strike.

Doctors said that authorities have accepted their demand to appoint ex-servicemen to take care of the hospital's security.

Delhi Health Secretary DS Negi held long discussions with the striking medical personnel on Thursday and promised that Delhi Police and home guards personnel would guard the hospital round-the-clock.

"The existing private security firm taking care of the hospital has been removed with immediate effect. Some 70 home guards along with Delhi Police personnel will guard the hospital from now on," Negi had told the agency.

The hospital has only one water filter outlet for drinking water. The doctors were also demanding more cleanliness in the hospital.