How will you improve working condition for resident doctors? HC asks Maharashtra

The high court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by RTI activist Afak Mandviya, who said that repeated strikes by resident doctors leave thousands of poor patients across the state in jeopardy.

The Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government to file a report indicating how it proposes to improve the deplorable working and living conditions of resident doctors in four civic hospitals.

The Bombay high court on Wednesday directed the Maharashtra government to file a report indicating how it proposes to improve the deplorable working and living conditions of resident doctors in four civic hospitals. (File photo)

The court has granted the state a fortnight to file its reply. The hospitals mentioned by the court are JJ Hospital in Mumbai Central, BJ Medical College in Pune and government medical colleges at Miraj in Sagli district and at Ambejogai in Beed district. The court examined photographs of the hospitals and noted that the hospitals had deplorable working and living conditions for resident doctors.

The high court was hearing a public interest litigation filed by RTI activist Afak Mandviya, who said that repeated strikes by resident doctors leave thousands of poor patients across the state in jeopardy. He has also sought action against the erring doctors under provisions of the Maharashtra Essential Services Maintenance Act, 2011.

Meanwhile, the state has decided to post 1,100 armed guards of the Maharashtra State Security Corporation for protection of doctors at government and civic hospitals across Maharashtra. The first batch of 500 armed guards will be deployed across Mumbai hospitals by April , and the remaining will be posted at hospitals in other parts of the state by April 31.