Union Health Minister JP Nadda today made an appeal to the striking doctors to resume their duty, saying he has asked the state government to provide security to them at the hospitals.
Junior doctors in Maharashtra are on strike in protest against the increased number of cases of assaults by relatives of patients on them.
"We are taking up the matter with the Indian Medical Association (IMA). We have asked the state government to provide security to the doctors. Whatever arrangements can be made should be done in this regard," Nadda said outside Parliament.
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Supporting their counterparts in Maharashtra, doctors in Delhi had gone on mass casual leave yesterday. But today, they have resumed their duty.
"It is a serious issue and it should be responded in a proactive manner and in right perspective. Doctors should be given a healthy environment at the hospitals so that they can treat patients in a better way. State should ensure that," Nadda said.
He further said "I have requested the doctors to resume their duty as the government is sympathetic towards them. We are responding accordingly and they should come back and resume their duty.
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Sources said that the Health Ministry has also written a letter to the Maharashtra government asking it to take appropriate measures to ensure safety of the doctors on duty in the hospitals.
According to the letter, while reviewing the situation, Health Minister J P Nadda is learnt to have expressed grave concern over the matter of attack on doctors and asked states to ensure proper security to him.
Security of doctors is a "prime concern" along with ensuring that services to patients are regularly made available, the letter said.
