Delhi: Assured of security, resident doctors at Lady Hardinge Medical College call off strike

“Considering patient care in mind and written assurance given by competent authority, we are resuming all services with immediate effect,” the resident doctors’ association of the hospital said. “If no necessary action will be taken and culprits will not be arrested, we will be compelled to resume our protest,” the association said in a letter calling off the strike.

An order from the medical director stated that an institutional FIR will be filed with immediate effect as demanded by the resident doctors. The medical director also assured them that existing bouncers or security personnel will be posted in the vulnerable areas while a request for increasing the numbers will be taken up with competent authority.

Lady Hardinge Medical College resident doctors went on a strike earlier in the day, withdrawing from routine as well as emergency services from 9 am onwards. This comes after doctors on duty at the associated Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital were assaulted by the relatives of five-month-old twins who passed away at the hospital within days of each other.

The doctors demanded an institutional FIR—one under which the individual doctor who was assaulted doesn’t have to personally appear for all legal proceedings—with a case being registered under the Delhi Medical Services Prevention of Violence and Property Damage Act. The doctors asked for the deputation of bouncers at high risk or vulnerable areas of the hospital and the formation of a quick response team. They also demanded, in a letter to the medical director, that a strict one-patient, one-relative policy be followed.

“Such brutal attacks and inhuman behaviour with life-saviours is not acceptable,” the doctors said in a letter to their medical director.

“Assault on On-duty #Doctors in Kalawati Saran Children’s Hospital (@LHMCDelhi) in #NewDelhi! Strongly condemning the incident, #FORDA demands strict action against the culprits. #CentralDoctorsProtectionAct is the need of the hour!!” said the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association on Twitter.

With violence against doctors leading to strikes across hospitals from time to time and several national-level agitations as well, the Centre had thought of bringing in a central protection act with provisions to punish people who assault doctors or health professionals on duty. A draft that was formulated in consultation with several resident doctors’ bodies had proposed a 10-year imprisonment or Rs 10 lakh fine for grievously injuring a doctor on duty.