Safdarjung Hospital students on hunger strike

Over 300 students of the medical college of Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi went on hunger strike Tuesday demanding "basic facilities" like water, working lifts and air-conditioning in their hostel.

Over 300 students of the medical college of Safdarjung Hospital in New Delhi went on hunger strike Tuesday demanding "basic facilities" like water, working lifts and air-conditioning in their hostel.

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The students of Vardhaman Mahavir Medical College (VMCC) complained they were without drinking water, lifts and air-conditioning for the past two months.

"We have been repeatedly requesting the administration to take action but this has fallen on deaf ears. That is why we were compelled to call the strike," Karan Vats, president of the student welfare association of VMCC said.

"The college administration has not paid heed to our problems. We have been knocking on the doors of the medical superintendent and the principal," complained Aashima, a third year MBBS student.

She said over 120 students were packed in a class room, that too without ventilation. And there was no provision of drinking water in the building.

“Two first year MBBS students who were writing their exams fainted because their room had no proper ventilation or drinking water.”

The students association approached the Director General of Health Services, R K Srivastava, last month but there was no change in the condition.

“The hunger strike will go on till the health minister (Ghulam Nabi Azad) meets us and hears our grievances,” said Vats.