Delhi: 10 govt hospitals join DDU doctors' strike

Resident doctors at West Delhi's Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital went on an indefinite strike after one of their colleagues and hospital guards were allegedly assaulted by the relatives of a patient.

New Delhi, April 6: Services in about 10 government hospitals in Delhi were hit on Wednesday as the doctors joined their counterparts in West Delhi's Deen Dayal Upadhyay hospital, who are on a strike following alleged assaults on them.

Resident doctors from various city hospitals, including those from AIIMS, have come out in solidarity with doctors of DDU Hospital, whose protest strike entered its third day today.

Doctors from Baba Saheb Ambedkar, Madan Mohan Malviya and Sanjay Gandhi hospitals, among others joined the strike, affecting routine and emergency services in their establishments.

On Monday, the doctors in the DDU hospital emergency and the guards were allegedly beaten up by the relatives of a patient.

Reportedly, the female doctors had to lock themselves up in the toilets to avoid assault on them.

"Three incidents of such assaults were reported within three hours from the hospital, which led to the resident doctors go on strike," a hospital official said.

The incident occurred close on heels of a massive protest by resident doctors in Maharashtra who demanded security for hospital staff and themselves following a spate of assaults on them.

"We strongly condemn the repeated attacks on resident doctors by anti-social elements. It is the duty of hospital administration and government to provide security at their work place," AIIMS Resident Doctors Association said.

While urging the government to look into the demands of the resident doctors immediately, the AIIMS RDA also requested the general public to support doctors, saying " we are also the victims of this poor health system.

PTI