Patients’ kin abuse doctor: Resident docs threaten to go on strike; give 48-hour deadline to PGI - Hindustan Times
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Patients’ kin abuse doctor: Resident docs threaten to go on strike; give 48-hour deadline to PGI

Hindustan Times, Chandigarh | By, Chandigarh
Mar 27, 2018 01:48 PM IST

Doctors raise issues including work place safety, clear job description for resident doctors and paramedical staff, recruitment of helping staff.

Five days after the relatives of a patient vandalised a dialysis machine at the emergency unit of the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) and thrashed the doctors on duty, the Association of Resident Doctors’ (ARD) submitted a letter to the PGI director, here on Monday.

“We want the administration to give a time frame as to by when will our issues be resolved. We will wait for 48 hours, after which we will go on strike,” said said Dr Sandeep Tula, vice-president, ARD.(HT Photo)
“We want the administration to give a time frame as to by when will our issues be resolved. We will wait for 48 hours, after which we will go on strike,” said said Dr Sandeep Tula, vice-president, ARD.(HT Photo)

In the general body meeting, attended by 200 resident doctors, they gave a 48-hour deadline (till March 28) to the authorities to resolve their issues. Threatening to go on strike, the doctors stated that they are running out of patience.

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“Despite the institution’s repeated promises since 2013, multiple issues — work place safety, clear job description for resident doctors and paramedical staff, recruitment of phlebotomists (people trained to draw blood from a patient) — have not been addressed,” mentions the letter.

“We want the administration to give a time frame as to by when will our issues be resolved. We will wait for 48 hours, after which we will go on strike,” said said Dr Sandeep Tula, vice-president, ARD. “We will meet the director on March 28,” said Tula. He said, “Only the emergency services will not be impacted.”

PGIMER director Dr Jagat Ram said, “We are doing everything possible to solve their issues and have already conveyed them the steps which we are going to take.” The ARD represent over 1,300 resident doctors of the PGIMER.

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Issues raised

As per the resident doctors, no FIR was lodged by the institute after a doctor was verbally abused by the attendants in the emergency unit on March 21.“It reflects poorly on the part of the institution. An FIR should be lodged at the earliest to ensure such incidents are dealt with strict action,” states the letter. The doctors criticised the hospital for delaying the formation of quick response teams to prevent doctors from any assault incidents.

‘Is making tea my job?’

In two departments, a resident doctor has been preparing tea for the faculty members and serves them as per their taste, daily. “We had raised the issue with the concerned department heads last year also but they did not change their ‘culture’,” said Tula. He said, “I have served tea for 21 days in one of the departments. Is making tea the job of doctors now?”

Director Ram said, “They have complained about the issue, but not given anything in writing. However, I will take it up with the concerned officials as the practice is not appreciable.”

“Sample collection at a tertiary centre is not a part of training for specialties in residency. We need phlebotomists for sampling and non academic junior residents to share the workload” mentions the letter.

Tula, said, “Over 32 resident doctors of medicine department, posted in emergency and other wards, do the work of sample collection. We need at least 50 phlebotomists.” The letter further states that the job description for the residents, nurses, hospital attendants, sanitary attendants was to be constituted in 2016 under Prof KLN Rao but it has been two years and no progress has been made.

The other demand include strengthening of HIS, start leave encashment, resident lounge, renovation of duty doctors rooms. Director Ram said,, “A quick response team of 12 security guards has been constituted. A team of four will always be there to help the doctors( in addition to at least 40 guards in the emergency unit).”

“Six phlebotomists will be there at the emergency from Tuesday onwards.We have also advertised for 16 posts and they will be recruited in another month,”he said.

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