Govt promises security, doctors call off strike

The statewide resident doctors’ strike was called off on Sunday after the government gave them a written assurance to increase security arrangements at public hospitals.

The statewide resident doctors’ strike was called off on Sunday after the government gave them a written assurance to increase security arrangements at public hospitals.

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While increased security was the main demand, resident doctors on Saturday demanded that other issues such as maternity leave, health fund for doctors and calculation of bond service of the resident doctors be addressed.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) went on a strike on Friday after a resident doctor – Dr Vishnu Dhadwad - was assaulted by the relatives of a 10-month old girl who died at Sion hospital on Wednesday night.

IA Chahal, secretary, medical education and drugs department, and deans of the four major hospitals in Mumbai — JJ, KEM, Sion and Nair met representatives of MARD on Sunday.

“We discussed these four issues. We have got assurance in writing from the government on all our demands except the issue of maternity leave,” said Dr Pankaj Nalawade, general secretary, MARD.

Dr Pravin Shingare, joint director of the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) said that each hospital would set up a security committee with a MARD representative as a member. The committee would survey the hospital premises and submit a report regarding the hospital’s security requirements to the DMER within a month. “We will increase the number of closed circuit television (CCTV) cameras and security personnel is hospitals,” said Dr Shingare.

The health fund, operated by the dean’s office to take care of resident doctors, when they fall sick on duty, will be fixed according to the number of resident doctors in the hospitals, he said.

However, the three-day strike inconvenienced thousands of patients.

“When it comes public utility services particularly those relating to essential services, there is no justification for a strike. The strike should not be a way to press for their selfish demands,” said Sirish Deshpande, chairman, Mumbai Grahak Panchayat.