Services in govt hospitals hit as resident docs in Delhi go on mass leave

Around 20,000 resident doctors of government hospitals here, except AIIMS, went on casual leave en masse today in support of their counterparts in Maharashtra who are on strike.
Healthcare services were hampered in the national capital because of the mass leave, but the resident doctors on emergency duty turned up for work.
Residents doctors from around 40 government hospitals, including RML, Lady Hardinge Medical College, Safdarjung Hospital stayed away from work, while those at AIIMS continued with their protest against assaults on doctors by wearing helmets at work for the second day.
"The action (mass causal leave) was taken in view assaults on doctors and also to show solidarity to our colleagues in Maharashtra who have been threatened with salary cuts for not joining duty," Dr Pankaj Solanki, president of The Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) said.

FORDA is an umbrella body of all residents doctors in Delhi.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA), which has around 2.7 lakh members across the country, has extended support to the strike while the doctors associated with Delhi Medical Association (DMA) have called for an Out Patient Department (OPD) bandh tomorrow.

Dr Rakesh Kumar Gupta, president of DMA, however, said indoor patients and emergency services at hospitals will not be affected.
"The incidents of assault on doctors is rising everyday. It is occurring both in government as well as private hospitals. Patients and their relatives are taking law into their hands which is not acceptable," state secretary of DMA Dr Ashwani Goyal said.

Unfazed by the Maharashtra government's warning of suspension and cutting their pay, around 4,000 resident doctors abstained from work for the fourth day today demanding enhanced security, in the wake of a string of attacks on doctors by patients' kin at government hospitals in the state.
The Bombay High Court stepped in to end the stir and directed the resident doctors to resume work immediately even as Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis mooted a panel to resolve security issues in state-run hospitals.
The HC observed that "medical attention" cannot wait, adding the profession of doctors is so "sacred" that they cannot afford to go on strike.

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FORDA also threatened that its members may go on mass leave indefinitely on the issue of assault on doctors.
"Resident doctors of Delhi have shown the unity to the nation and it is appreciable. For tomorrow, let us work in our respective hospitals wearing black armbands," FORDA president Dr Solanki said.
"We are waiting for the decision of the Maharashtra government. Their action will determine our next course of action and, if required, we may go on mass leave indefinitely after all the RDAs reach a decision on it by Saturday," he said.
Later in the evening, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in a statement informed that general and private OPDs of the hospital will remain closed in line with the DMA's call for an OPD bandh tomorrow.

"Our hospital expresses solidarity with concerns of the IMA and the DMA regarding safety of doctors. General and private OPDs of our hospital will not function tomorrow. Inpatients as well as emergency services will be normal," said Dr D S Rana, chairman of board of management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.