20,000 resident doctors in Delhi strike work

Over 20,000 resident doctors in 25 Delhi government hospitals on Monday went on strike demanding increased security and life-saving drugs at the hospitals.

The doctors, under the banner of the Federation Of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), refused to resume work till their demands were met.

FORDA is an association of 25 Delhi-based government hospitals.

Doctors went on strike in February too, after which Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain assured them better working conditions.

"We are not going to end our strike until all our demands are met. Each time we are given assurances and asked to end our strike. This time we won't do that," FORDA president Pankaj Solanki told IANS.

He said faculty members and senior doctors were taking care of patients and dealing with emergency cases.

FORDA had in February urged union Health Minister J.P. Nadda to address the issues related to security in the city's government hospitals.

The letter was written after four incidents of physical assault by kin of patients at the Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital.

The striking doctors said pick-pockets and thieves roamed unchecked in hospital premises, stealing patients' belongings and cash.