Hyderabad: Junior doctors from Gandhi and Niloufer hospitals suspended their three-day-old strike after holding talks with health minister Etala Rajendar and said they would boycott work from March 11 if their demands were not fulfilled.
The junior doctors had gone on a strike to protest attacks on them by relatives of patients.
Mr Rajendar heard out the junior doctor from Niloufer Hospital and told them that he had taken charge only on Thursday and sought some time. He assured that he would increase security in government hospitals. Mr Rajendar condemned the attacks on junior doctors. “We will make sure that such incidents do not recur. We will ensure justice to junior doctors if they are assaulted by patients’ relatives,” he said, addi-ng “Doctors also need rest. We will decrease the workload on junior doctors,” he said
District medical and health officer Dr I. Ramesh Reddy spoke with junior doctors from Gandhi Hospital and assured that their demands would be met. He was scheduled to visit Niloufer Hospital.
Junior doctors struck work at the two hospitals for most part of Thur-sday, demanding impro-ved security and inconveniencing patients. All services, including emergency services, in both hospitals have been boycotted. The main dema-nd of the doctors is security, as families of patie-nts often tend to get violent if the patient dies, said Dr Rahul rom Niloufer Hospital.
“Our main demands are that the number of security persons should be increased, efficient security personnel shou-ld be recruited and security should be monitored by resident medical officers,” he said. He said the junior doctors should be allowed to mark the duty roster of security personnel. He said a Special Protection Force (SPF) should be provided for hospitals and CCTV cameras should be installed and monitored 24x7. Paramedical staff and basic amenities such as drinking water, wash rooms and duty rooms must be provided. “If these demands are met then only will we resume our duties,” he said.
Dr I, Ramesh Reddy said, “We are planning to increase the security in all government hospitals. We have already deployed 26 policemen at Gandhi Hospital. We condemn the attack on junior doctors. Patients should understand that no doctor will harm a patient intentionally.”
He added that assaulting a junior doctor is a crime. “It comes under non-bailable offence and court can award him jail for three years. If there are any grievances from the patient they can app-roach the higher official and lodge a police complaint.
