Three resident doctors at Lady Hardinge Medical College were today allegedly assaulted by the relatives of a three-year-old girl who died after being brought in there in critical condition, prompting the doctors of LHMC and and its two associated hospitals here to go on strike.
One of the doctors on duty was also bitten on his arm by one of the relatives.
According to a senior resident doctor of the hospital, the girl was brought to the hospital late last night in a critical condition.
"The girl was was brought in at the paediatrics ward in a critical condition and the family was told that her chances of survival was grim. She passed away at around 5 am following which her parents called up their relatives.
"Within some time, a mob came to the and attacked the resident doctors on duty. Even the security guards had vanished from the scene. One of the relatives of the deceased girl also bit a doctor," said the doctor.
After the incident, around 1,200 resident doctors the Lady Hardinge Medical College and its two associated hospitals have gone on strike demanding enhancement of security in the hospital and arrest of the culprits.
"We have been asking for upgrading the security in the hospital premises in terms of number of guards and installing CCTV cameras. At the time of incident, the guards ran away and also the few CCTVs that are installed in the hospital were not working," said a member from resident doctors' association at LHMC.
Dr Sagar Mundada, chairman of the youth wing of Indian
Medical Association (IMA), also said the state government should provide more security at the hospitals and restrict the entry of relatives coming to the emergency wards with the patients.
A social activist, Afak Mandaviya, had yesterday approached the Bombay High Court seeking a direction to the resident doctors across the state to call off their protest and report to work immediately.
The petitioner also sought a direction to the state government to look into the issue and take necessary action.
The MARD had earlier assured the high court that it would not give a call or go on a strike and would only hold peaceful demonstrations highlighting their grievances.
Mandaviya had earlier filed a public interest litigation highlighting the issue of doctors frequently going on strikes, causing inconvenience to the people.
