MAHA DOCTORS’ STRIKE CALLED OFF

MUMBAI:

A day after Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis asked resident doctors to join work or face action, all resident doctors across government medical colleges resumed duty on Saturday.

The state health department said by afternoon, all the 4,500 resident doctors had joined work. The doctors have received a written assurance from the medical education department and the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), explaining the long and short-term plans for doctors’ safety.

The doctors, who were protesting against assaults on colleagues by relatives of patients, have demand better security.

Over 312 resident doctors across four medical colleges and 16 peripheral hospitals in Mumbai had joined the strike until 11.30pm on Friday.

Dean of KEM Hospital, Dr Avinash Supe, said the doctors started joining in large numbers late at night. By morning, almost all doctors across four medical colleges in Mumbai attached to Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital and Medical College, Sion; BYL Nair Hospital (Topiwala National Medical College), KEM Hospital (Seth GS Medical College) and Dr RN Cooper Municipal General Hospital (HBT Medical College) had resumed work.

Officials said no punitive action will be taken against doctors who have joined work.

“The expulsion notices (issued two days ago) will be condoned since the resident doctors have abided by the norms. Even though the Bombay high court gave us the power to take action against doctors, the state government has requested leniency,” Idez Kundan, assistant municipal commissioner, said.

However, even though the sixday ordeal for patients at public hospitals came to an end, it is to be seen how Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) — the major resident doctors’ body — is able to withhold its presence.

“MARD was unable to stand strong and fight for residents and gave in as soon as the state government put pressure on them. We are planning to set up a new committee to replace MARD since it has lost its foothold amongst resident doctors,” said a senior resident from KEM Hospital.

OFFICIALS SAID NO PUNITIVE ACTION WILL BE TAKEN AGAINST THE DOCTORS WHO HAVE JOINED WORK