Delhi: Over 20,000 resident doctors in 25 govt hospitals go on strike

New Delhi, June 22: Over 20,000 resident doctors in 25 Delhi government hospitals on Monday went on an indefinite 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.

Some of the prominent hopspitals, whose doctors are on strike are Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital, Safdarjung Hospital, Lady Hardinge Medical College and Maulana Azad Medical College.

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

The doctors have been demanding adequate generic and life saving drugs, security at workplace, fixed duty hours and timely payment of their salaries.

"The strike will affect OPD and private ward services but emergency services will not be interrupted," said a senior resident doctor at Lady Hardinge Medical College.

According to the doctors, the government has failed to fulfil their demands regarding which they earlier had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Union Health Minister JP Nadda.

Doctors went on strike in February too, after which Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain assured them better working conditions. [Lady Hardinge Medical College doctors call off strike]

"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 a news agency.

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.

OneIndia News

(With agency inputs)