Junior doctors end strike, ask state to bear cost of insurance

The assault on two junior doctors at the Osmania Hospital on Sunday, by angry relatives of a dead patient, caused an uproar amongst the other junior doctors who went on a flash strike. Although the strike had been called off on Tuesday night, uncertainty prevailed as the stipulated time for action given by the junior doctors to the hospital administration was 24 hours which will end on Thursday morning.

The Telangana Doctors Forum met with the junior doctors’ panel to hear in detail about the case. The junior doctors were reassured that serious action would be taken against those who harm medicare professionals. They raised the demand that the government must consider paying insurance companies for professional security against institutional failures or medical negligence cases. “This system will ensure that the grieving party will receive compensation at the right time. It is about time that this system is implemented here as it is in many countries”, said Dr Gopal Kishan, the chairman of The Telangana Doctors Forum.

While junior doctors stated that this cannot be treated as a singular incident as attacks on junior doctors are common across the nation, Dr. Kishan said, “At Osmania, we cannot refuse admission to any patient so even if we get serious cases, we try our best. Although individual doctors try, the inadequacy of drugs and equipment cannot be ignored. If you add the emotions and guilt factor of bystanders who brought the patient in too late, scuffles tend to break out.”

He added that CCTV cameras and automatic alarm systems linked to police stations would be added very soon and asked the government to focus on security of government hospitals in the same manner as security of politicians.

Independent ombudsmen will be hired to take complaints of hospitals, he added.

Meanwhile, a counselling session for bystanders where the gravity of the patient's condition can be talked about was requested by junior doctors.