Maha resident docs on 1-day strike in support of WB doctors

Around 4,500 resident doctors in Maharashtra, including some 2,800 in Mumbai, went on a one-day strike Friday in solidarity with the ongoing agitation of junior doctors in West Bengal.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) said junior doctors at government hospitals in the state will not perform surgeries or attend to out-patient departments (OPDs) between 8 am and 5 pm Friday.

However, emergency services will not be affected, it said.

"We will not be treating any patients in routine OPDs or carry out surgeries or take rounds of wards. Doctors posted on emergency duties will not participate in the protest," a resident doctor, who is a member of MARD, said.

Junior doctors in West Bengal are on strike since Tuesday demanding better security at workplace after two of their colleagues were attacked and seriously injured at the NRS Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata allegedly by relatives of a patient who died at the hospital.

The Indian Medical Association has declared Friday "All India Protest Day" against the assault on junior doctors.

Kalyani Dongre, president, Central Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, demanded better working conditions for the medical fraternity.

Resident doctors face hostile working atmosphere, she said, addressing a gathering of protesting doctors.

"We have demanded security from the state government, but nothing is happening. Our members are working in emergency services. Our demand is better working conditions for the medical fraternity and strict punishment for the perpetrators of assault," she said.

Nishtha Khatri, president of MARD unit at the government-run KEM Hospital here, said resident doctors and interns from KEM and Seth GS Medical College formed a human chain to protest against the incident at Kolkata hospital. They also wore black dresses and black badges in protest.

"Inspite of working selflessly day in and day out, doctors are assaulted. We make immense sacrifices, we work really hard so that our patients can sleep in peace, yet we are often the soft targets," she said.