Day 3: Most doctors continue to abstain from work as Mumbai civic body issues 1,200 notices

As the mass bunk enters the third day on Wednesday, more than 1,200 resident doctors have received show cause notices from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC).

As the mass bunk enters the third day on Wednesday, more than 1,200 resident doctors have received show cause notices from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). As many as 500 doctors from KEM Hospital and 350 each from Sion Hospital and JJ Hospital have received notices, said an official.

Doctors have been protesting against a recent flurry of attacks on their colleagues across the state. (HT)

Doctors have been protesting against attacks on their colleagues across the state and have decided to continue the strike despite the Bombay High Court’s directives on Tuesday.

The HC pulled up resident doctors and compared them with ‘factory workers if they persisted with their demands. “Your are not fit to be doctors,” said the division bench of chief justice Manjula Chellur and justice Girish Kulkarni. The HC gave a free hand to the civic body and the state government to act against resident doctors if they failed to resume work.

On Tuesday night, Dr Avinash Supe, director of medical education (BMC) and Dr Pravin Shingare, director of Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) confirmed that notices will be issued to the agitating medicos if they failed to join work. “There is a HC directive and we are in process of sending notices to the doctors,” said Dr Supe.

More than 550 notices have been sent to resident doctors for failing to resume work. While a few returned to duty, many continued to abstain from work. Doctors’ association in the state, Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), has refused to lend its support for the protest.

“The civic body and the state government should also be held responsible for contempt of court as they failed to provide adequate security measures despite court orders. We have not supported the mass bunk, but if doctors are collectively deciding to not resume work until they feel safe, it’s not unjustifiable,” said a senior doctor from KEM Hospital.

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