Agitating doctors at the Hindu Rao Hospital in north Delhi Monday asked civic authorities to augment security deployment and set up of a police 'chowki' inside the campus.
The demands were put forth by the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) during a meeting with civic authorities.
Doctors at the North Delhi Municipal Corporation-run hospital have been protesting since Sunday and had threatened to go on strike after two of their colleagues were allegedly beaten on Saturday night by relatives of a patient who had died at the facility.
"We had threatened to go on a strike from Monday if our demands were no met. But, senior officials of the NDMC met us this afternoon to discus the ongoing situation," said Rahul Chaudhary, president of the hospital's RDA, and claimed, "NDMC officials gave us assurance in writing that our demands will be met".
A senior NDMC official said the agitating doctors have decided not to go on strike after the talks.
The clash on Saturday had allegedly broken out between doctors and relatives of a deceased patient at the hospital, the largest and oldest facility run by a civic body here.
One of the protesting doctors, Abhishek Bhatia, had said on Sunday, "As long as this happens, we won't do any work. Only emergency services, and nothing else will be operational. The patient wasn't in good condition, everything was explained, even then 10-15 people came and thrashed the doctor".
Chaudhary said, after the "written assurance" from authorities, the RDA has decided to not call any strike and "wait and watch till 24 hours".
"The authorities have assured to strengthen security deployment, including posting of a guard near the emergency department, setting up of a police chowki on the hospital campus, among other demands put forth by us," he said.
"If they do not do something concrete in 24 hours, we will be forced to go on strike," Chaudhary said.
"The senior NDMC official said, they will also review the contract of the existing company providing security guards, and also the standard operating procedure to be followed in breaking news of death of a patient to his or her family member," he added.
The RDA's primary demand is "presence of senior doctors" in emergency department at night time as well, as things get out of control in such situations and relatives wish to speak to senior doctors in crisis time, Chaudhary added.
Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) president Sumedh Sandanshiv said, if the demands of the Hindu Rao Hospital doctors ar not met, "We will join the stir in solidarity".
Two doctors Rajesh Kumar and Pranay were allegedly beaten up by the relatives of the deceased patient, a woman, who was brought to the hospital on Saturday, police had said on Sunday.
According to police, Rajbala, a resident of Roop Nagar here, a chronic kidney failure patient, was admitted in critical condition in the casualty ward of Hindu Rao Hospital on Saturday at around 11.40 pm.
Rajbala died during treatment, following which her husband, son and other relatives started quarrelling with the doctors on duty, police said.
During heated exchanges, Rajbala's son allegedly slapped a doctor, they said. Soon after more doctors poured in and a scuffle broke out in which two doctors sustained minor injuries, a senior police officer said.
A case was registered against the woman's relatives based on the complaint of Dr Jagmohan from the hospital's human resource wing on behalf of Kumar and Pranay, they said.
Meanwhile, the relatives of Rajbala submitted a written complaint, alleging negligence and delay in treatment by the doctors resulting in her death, police said.
The senior NDMC official said, the situation in the hospital is normal and police personnel have been deployed on the campus for the time being.
Earlier this month, a similar incident had taken place in Kolkata. Junior doctors at the state-run NRS Medical College were allegedly assaulted by the relatives of a 75-year-old patient after he died due to alleged negligence.
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