Safdarjung doctors call off strike, get security assurance

NEW DELHI - The resident doctors of Safdarjung Hospital here Wednesday afternoon called off their strike after hospital authorities assured them of better security arrangements.

Announcing the decision, President of the Junior Doctors’ Association Chandrabhan said that one patient-one attendant policy and increasing the number of security staff are some of the demands which have been met by the hospital authorities in a meeting which was also attended by Joint Secretary Health Shakuntala D. Gamlin.

“Our demands have been met, so we have called off the strike,” Chandrabhan told IANS and expressed confidence that the assurances will be implemented.

“Since the joint secretary was there, we are sure the assurances will be implemented,” he said.

The resident doctors went on strike Tuesday after some women doctors and nurses were allegedly manhandled by angry relatives of a patient who died of suspected dengue.

This was the second flash strike by doctors at the hospital in less than a month demanding better security arrangements.

“Only one attendant will be allowed with every patient in the ward. This will be implemented in the next 48 hours,” he said.

“Also, the number of security staff will be increased from the present 300 to 500,” he said.

For a long-term solution to the issue of safety, the doctors demanded a permanent hospital protection force.

“They have agreed for a separate hospital security force but no time-frame has been given,” Chandrabhan said.

The nearly two-day-long strike virtually brought the work at the hospital to a stand- still with patients lining up outside the OPD. The situation remained critical with the number of patients spiralling as diseases like dengue and swine flu are on the rise in the national capital.

–Indo Asian News Service