Safdarjung hospital resident doctors go on mass leave

New Delhi, May 15: Accusing the administration of going back on their promises to provide better facilities, resident

of Safdarjung hospital here launched a 'non- cooperation movement' by going on mass leave for an indefinite period from Tuesday evening.

The second round of agitation comes five days after Union Health Ministry promised the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) that its grievances would be addressed by Tuesday.

RDA spokesperson Dr Sameer Prabhakar said they were forced to launch the indefinite protest as the administration did not take any action on their demands.

"There is no forward movement. No action has been taken to meet our demands. We are launching our non-cooperation movement. None of the resident doctors will attend OPD, Emergency and ICU. Only senior doctors will be there," he claimed.

However, Medical Superintendent Dr BD Athani rejected the allegations.

"The protest is despite the fact that the administration had agreed to most of their demands. The protesting doctors are not attending even Emergency or ICU despite repeated appeals to them," Athani said.

SN Makwana, Safdarjung spokesperson, said the doctors have given notice to go on mass leave from 6 PM on Tuesday.

The RDA had called of its indefinite strike on the second day on May 9 after Health Ministry and hospital administration promised to look into their grievances, including better facilities and security.

The doctors claimed the officials have agreed to consider all their demands, including release of four months salary of interns, availability of potable water in all wards, upgrading of canteen and security in the premises.

"As far as demand of hostel is concerned, they have assured us to come up with the concrete plan by Tuesday. Hence, we are discontinuing our strike till then," Prabhakar, the spokesperson of RDA which represents around 900 resident doctors of the hospital, had said.

PTI