Mumbai: Resident doctors resume duty, express satisfaction with CM's assurances

Ending their five-day strike, the resident doctors resumed their duties on 25 March, 2017 morning upon receiving assurances from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and following the intervention by the Bombay High Court about their security.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) said in a statement that their meeting with the Chief Minister was satisfactory.

"The state government has issued a letter of assurance and we feel our demands are being addressed. Adequate security will be deployed across hospitals. A 2-pass system per patient will be started immediately at casualty, while one pass will be allowed per patient in general wards. Visiting hours have been fixed at 7.30 am and 8.30 am in the morning, while 4.30 pm and 6.30 pm in the evening," a representative said in the statement.

The statement further stated that, because of a few irresponsible people, they can't deny the rights of the poor in getting adequate treatment.

"FIR regarding assault on doctors on duty is to be lodged strictly under the Doctor's Protection Act 2010 and by the institute. In emergency situations, an alarm to inform the staff will be installed at all government hospitals by 30 April, 2017. All charges and punitive actions taken against doctors including expulsion to be revoked completely with no bearing of such actions on their academics in the future", he said.

Further adding, "The Maharashtra State security corporation has been ordered to provide essential security in all government medical colleges accordingly 1,100 security guards shall be provided for the same. In the first stage, 500 security guards shall be provided by April 5 in Mumbai. In the second stage Pune, Nagpur, Aurangabad, while in the third stage the entire state will be covered by 30 April, 2017. Out of the guards provided, some will be armed and will be deployed at sensitive locations," representative said.

24 March, 2017, the doctors had called off the strike after Fadnavis gave an ultimatum to striking resident doctors to resume duty or face legal action.

Mumbai Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan also asserted that state doctors have agreed to resume work by 8 am on 25 March, 2017.

More than a thousand doctors in Maharashtra were protesting since 20 March, 2017 demanding better security at hospitals with the increase in incidents of attacks by patients' relatives.

The Emergency ward and Out Patient Department (OPD) have been affected the most by the ongoing strike.

The Bombay High Court earlier on 21 March, 2017 ordered Maharashtra's resident doctors to resume work immediately or face action by the management.

The court has specifically said that the hospital management is free to initiate action and contempt proceedings against the doctors on strike.

While asking them to resume their duties immediately, the High Court on 21 March, 2017 said that it will hear the junior doctors' mass leave issue on 25 March, 2017.

The state government has told the court that medical services in Maharashtra were paralysed because 60 per cent of the resident doctors across the state went on strike.

-ANI