Union Health Min condemns violence against Kolkata doc; urges restraint from patients, kin

In the wake of alleged assault of a junior doctor and the subsequent ongoing strike by practitioners in West Bengal, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare Dr. Harsh Vardhan on Thursday, while condemning the "recent incidents of violence", urged patients and their caregivers to exercise restraints.

"Dr. Harsh Vardhan, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare has expressed concern on the recently reported incidences of violence against doctors. It is necessary and important for the doctors to get a safe work environment," read a statement issued by the Ministry.

Harsh Vardhan said he will take up the matter with the chief ministers of states so that such incidents can be avoided in the future.

"Doctors are an integral pillar of society and often work under stressful and difficult conditions. I urge the patients and their caregivers to observe restraint," the statement said.

Doctors have been on strike in West Bengal since Tuesday after a junior doctor at the Nil Ratan Sarkar (NRS) Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata was allegedly attacked by the relative of a patient who died on June 10.

"The authorities have opened a parallel emergency system where senior doctors will exam serious medical cases of the patients," sources at the North Bengal Medical College and Hospital told ANI.