Maharashtra: Resident doctors resume duties after assurances from CM Devendra Fadnavis
The doctors planned to stand in solidarity with a resident doctor, who was brutally beaten up by the relatives of a deceased patient at Mumbai's Sion Hospital.
In Short
- More than 4,500 resident doctors had gone on mass leave after a doctor was brutally beaten up.
- CM Fadnavis yesterday gave an ultimatum to striking resident doctors to resume duty or face legal action.
- The doctors today resumed their duties and held a press conference.
Resident doctors in Maharashtra today resumed their duties after receiving assurances from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and intervention from the Bombay High Court.
The doctors called off their five-day strike after Fadnavis yesterday gave an ultimatum to striking resident doctors to resume duty or face legal action.
Bombay High Court had rapped the striking doctors and appealed for calling off their strike on Thursday.
Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors said in a statement that their meeting with the Chief Minister yesterday night was satisfactory.
"The state government has issued a letter of assurances and we feel our demands are being addressed. We have asked our members to resume duty from Saturday morning," the statement said.
More than 4,500 resident doctors had gone on mass leave five days ago after a series of assaults took place on them in various parts of the state.
Except OPDs and general wards at government and municipal-run hospitals, the health services were not affected.
Meanwhile today in a press conference, resident doctor's representative said that the violent attack on doctors will be curbed and perpetrators will not go unpunished in future.
HERE'S WHAT THE DOCTORS SAID:
- Adequate security will be deployed across hospitals. While 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.
- FIR regarding assault on doctors on duty 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 April 30, 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.
- 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 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 April 30.
- Out of the guards provided, some will be armed and will be deployed at sensitive locations.
Watch Video: Maharashtra doctors call off strike after assurance from Devendra Fadnavis
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