The junior doctors in West Bengal have decided to call off week-long strike after meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who has promised increased security measures to the medical fraternity. In the meeting, which was held at the state secretariat, a doctors’ delegation apprised Banerjee of the problems they have been facing at medical colleges and hospitals and said they fear for their safety.

The doctors had called for a nationwide protest on June 11 after two junior doctors were assaulted and seriously injured at NRS hospital in Bengal. Meanwhile, the Supreme Court will hear a plea on Tuesday seeking safety and security of doctors in government hospital.

Highlights:

5:40 pm IST Junior doctors call off week-long strike, reports PTI Post meeting the chief minister Mamata Banerjee and conveying their concerns seeking safety, junior doctors in West Bengal are expected to call off week-long strike, PTI reported.





5:38 pm IST Over an hour long meeting between doctors and CM ends Meeting between the striking medicos and Mamata Banerjee on Monday in a bid to resolve the week-long impasse ended on an amicable note, as CM promised the doctors that the state government will address their concerns and asked them to join work.





5:05 pm IST Mamata confirms arrest of five in NRS incident Mamata Banerjee said the state government has taken adequate measures and arrested five people involved in NRS incident where two junior doctors were assaulted. A 31-member team of junior doctors from all the state-run medical colleges in West Bengal held a meeting with Banerjee and senior state government officials at the secretariat Nabanna on Monday afternoon.





4:55 pm IST Only two channels allowed to cover doctors meet with CM Only two regional news channels were allowed to cover meeting between Banerjee and junior doctors at state secretariat where the deadlock between protesting doctors and the state government came to an end.





4:50 pm IST Deploy nodal police officer in every hospital, says Mamata West Bengal Mamata Banerjee directs Kolkata Police commissioner Anuj Sharma to deploy a nodal police officer in every hospital, during the meeting with representatives of doctors at Nabanna. Addressing the demands and grievances of the doctors, Banerjee urged senior police officers present at the meeting to take stringent action against attacks on doctors.





4:38 pm IST Govt has not booked any doctor, will form grievance units: CM Mamata Banerjee has told the junior doctors in the meeting that no doctor has been booked by state government. The CM has also directed for formation of grievance redressal units in all West Bengal hospitals as proposed by junior doctors at meeting.





4:30 pm IST We’re scared: Junior doctors tell Mamata Apprising Mamata Banerjee of the problems arising in medical colleges and hospitals, junior doctors have reportedly told the CM, “We are scared while working, want exemplary punishment for those who assaulted NRS doctors.”





3:43 pm IST CM Mamata Banerjee arrives at the secretariat Bringing the week-long impasse between agitating doctors and the state government to an end, CM Mamata Banerjee arrived for a meeting with the representatives of striking junior doctors on Monday afternoon. West Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee arrives for meeting with representatives of doctors at Nabanna. pic.twitter.com/ebcD15p026 — ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019





3:18 pm IST Doctors’ representatives arrive at state secretariat for meeting with CM A bus of the Bengal state health department carrying representatives of doctors scheduled to meet CM Mamata Banerjee arrives at Nabanna, the state secretariat. West Bengal: State Health Department bus carrying representatives of doctors scheduled to meet CM Mamata Banerjee in Nabanna, today. pic.twitter.com/vNosuVOfKa — ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019





2:50 pm IST Mamata agrees to live coverage of meeting with doctors West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee agrees to live coverage of meeting with agitating doctors: PTI “The chief minister has agreed to the demand for live coverage of the meeting,” a state government official said. Earlier, Pradip Mitra, Director of Medical Education, had said that media will not be allowed inside the meeting venue when the protesting doctors meet the CM at 3 pm.





2:10 pm IST Striking Bengal doctors get an invite from state government The West Bengal government has asked striking doctors to meet chief minister Mamata Banerjee at the state secretariat at 3 pm on Monday, according to news agency PTI. However, media persons will not be allowed to be present during the talks, a key demand of the agitators. The invite, sent by the state health department, said a recorded version of the discussions and resolutions taken at the meeting will later be provided to them. “No media will not be allowed inside. There was no such communication in their letter,” said Pradip Mitra, Director of Medical Education. The formal invitation was sent after the protesting doctors this morning said they did not receive any communication regarding the meeting.





1:54 pm IST Long queues of patients at Patna’s PMCH as doctors strike work Doctors strike has paralysed medical and health services in Bihar, where an intense heat wave has claimed 61 lives in the past few days while nearly 100 children, have died of suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES), reports PTI. The Bihar State Health Services Association is supporting the country-wide strike, called by Indian Medical Association in protest against the recent assault on junior doctors at a hospital in West Bengal. Long queues of patients were seen at PMCH in Patna, the largest hospital in the state, as services at OPDs remained completely suspended, though hospital sources said that emergency services have not been allowed to be affected.





1:50 pm IST Medical services affected in govt, private hospitals in Andhra & Telangana The nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest the attack on doctors in West Bengal affected medical services in government and private hospitals in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh: IANS The out-patient services at major government hospitals like Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad came to a standstill. Hundreds of patients who came to these hospitals from various parts of the state had to face hardships as doctors stayed away from their duties and participated in protests condemning attacks on their colleagues in West Bengal. Doctors boycotted all services except emergency at the government and corporate hospitals and nursing homes.





1:45 pm IST Doctors in HP wear black bands, but do not boycott work Government doctors in Himachal Pradesh on Monday wore black bands to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues in West Bengal. In a meeting held at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital here at 9 am, members of the Residents Doctors Association (RDA) decided not to observe a strike to take care of the admitted patients, said IGMC RDA general secretary Dr Bhartendu Negi. But the doctors were seen wearing black bands while discharging their duties.





1:42 pm IST Doctors’ strike hit services in Telangana, Andhra The nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest the attack on doctors in West Bengal affected medical services in government and private hospitals in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The out-patient services at major government hospitals like Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad came to a standstill.





1:31 pm IST Govt doctors in Himachal wear black bands, decide not to strike work Government doctors in Himachal Pradesh on Monday wore black bands to express solidarity with their protesting colleagues in West Bengal, reports PTI. In a meeting held at Indira Gandhi Medical College and Hospital here at 9 am, members of the Residents Doctors Association (RDA) decided not to observe a strike to take care of the admitted patients, said IGMC RDA general secretary Dr Bhartendu Negi. But the doctors were seen wearing black bands while discharging their duties.





12:43 pm IST Thousands of lives at stake because of one person’s obstinacy: AIIMS representative Why are citizens not asking questions from Bengal CM who has made this a prestige issue?, says AIIMS doctors addressing media. We want a central legislation to protect us from violence, says the representative. Just because of one person, the lives of thousands are at stake, adds the AIIMS representative. The doctors at AIIMS, who had last evening said they will participate in Monday’s strike, decided to join the nationwide protest on Monday morning after a junior doctor alleged being assaulted by the relatives of a patient.





12:40 pm IST Kerala doctors boycott work for 2 hours Healthcare services across Kerala were affected as doctors of state-run hospitals boycotted work for two hours on Monday and those of the private hospitals supporting the 24-hour nationwide strike being observed in support of the protests in West Bengal: PTI





12:32 pm IST Thousands of doctors in northeastern states join strike Thousands of doctors across several state in northeast joined the nationwide strike on Monday showing solidarity to protest called by Indian Medical Association (IMA) against attacks on doctors across the country. In Assam, doctors at Guwahati Medical College Hospital, Assam Medical College and most other private hospitals observed protest by wearing black bands or badges while sitting down with placards expressing solidarity with colleagues elsewhere. In Tripura, the All Tripura Government Doctors Association and state unit of IMA also joined the strike by remaining absent from duty and suspension of all OPD services in most government and private hospitals. Doctors and hospitals in Manipur joined the protest by suspending routine OPD and operations on Monday. Doctors at Imphal in Manipur joining the nationwide protest on Monday, June 17, 2019. ( HT PHoto ) The Nagaland branch of IMA has also extended support to the strike and services in most government and private hospitals in the state remained affected on Monday. However, pharmacies and chemist shops across the state remained unaffected by the strike. In Meghalaya, doctors the North East Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) and several government and private hospital also joined the strike.





12:22 pm IST Doctors take out silent protest march in Panaji Several doctors in Goa boycotted work on Monday and took out a ‘silent protest march’ in capital Panaji to condemn the attack on some of their colleagues in West Bengal, reports PTI. In response to the strike call given by their apex body IMA, the non-essential medical services were suspended in various government and private hospitals of the coastal state, an official said. A number of doctors participated in the silent protest march taken out from the Azad Maidan to Panjim market in the state capital.





12:09 pm IST Mamata Banerjee to meet medical college reprentatives today afternoon West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will meet two representatives from each Medical College of the state in Nabana , the state secretariat, on Monday afternoon: ANI





11:58 am IST Doctors at RIMS, Ranchi, sit on protest Doctors at Ranchi’s Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), too, are protesting against the violence against doctors in West Bengal, like their counterparts in many parts of the country. Doctors at RIMS, Ranchi sitting on a protest. ( ANI / Twiiter )





11:21 am IST Doctors at Varanasi hospital boycott work Doctors on strike at Sir Sunderlal Hospital in Banaras Hindu University in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal:ANI Varanasi: Doctors on strike at Sir Sunderlal Hospital in Banaras Hindu University in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal pic.twitter.com/TD20TZFVzp — ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) June 17, 2019





11:19 am IST Doctors at Guwahati Medical College join protest Doctors at Guwahati Medical College join their colleagues across the country to protest against violence against doctors in West Bengal. Assam: Doctors at Guwahati Medical College hold protest against violence against doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/hniRAAUab2 — ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019





11:17 am IST Ludhiana Civil Hospital OPD wears deserted look The OPD at Ludhiana Civil Hospital wore a deserted look, with patients sitting outside the hospital due to protest called by the doctors at Ludhiana civil hospital, on Monday. The deserted OPD at Ludhiana Civil Hospital, June 17, 2019. ( Gurpreet Singh / HT Photo )





10:57 am IST SC to hear tomorrow plea seeking protection to doctors Supreme Court to hear tomorrow the petition seeking safety and security to government doctors across the country, reported news agency ANI.





10:32 am IST Healthcare services in Delhi to take a hit Healthcare services at government and private hospitals in the national capital will be hit on Monday as scores of doctors, including those at AIIMS, have decided to boycott work for a day in support of their striking colleagues in West Bengal. Resident Doctors’ Association of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi, which earlier decided not to join the strike, announced withdrawal of all nonessential services from noon after a junior doctor at its trauma centre was assaulted in the early hours of Monday. The medico at the Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma Centre was allegedly assaulted for “giving preferential care to a critical patient”, the RDA said in a statement.





10:27 am IST Karnataka doctors on day-long strike About 40,000 doctors, paramedics and nurses began a day-long strike on Monday in state-run and private hospitals across Karnataka in support of their West Bengal colleagues, seeking safety, security and protection at work, an official said. “As all the doctors, nurses and their support staff are on strike, out-patient departments (OPDs) in government and private hospitals are closed for the day. Only emergency services are available and casualty wards are open,” the state’s Indian Medical Association (IMA) treasurer B. Veeranna told IANS here. Of the 15,000 hospitals across the southern state, about 2,000, including primary health centres are run by the government, while the remaining (13,000) are in the private sector.





10:22 am IST Lucknow doctors on 24-hour strike Health care services in the Uttar Pradesh capital were largely crippled on Monday as over 10,000 doctors proceeded on strike in support of their counterparts in West Bengal. The resident doctors of King George’s Medical University (KGMU) and Queen Mary’s hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) proceeded on strike at 6.a.m and will stay off work till Tuesday 6 a.m.





10:05 am IST 20,000 govt hospital doctors in Delhi on strike Around 20,000 resident doctors from government hospitals in the national capital will go on strike on Monday demanding a central law to protect those in the medical profession. The call for the strike was given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), a representative body for doctors.The Resident Doctor’s Association of AIIMS, however, has withdrawn its strike and decided to function as usual for now. According to a press release on Sunday evening, the RDA will hold a protest march from 8 to 9 am on Monday following which the doctors shall resume duties. Private hospital doctors were yet to confirm participation. The strike is likely to hit outpatient clinics and other routine services (like diagnostics). Emergency services, however, won’t be affected, doctors assured.





10: 00 am IST Doctors on strike in Jharkhand, OPDs across the state to remain shut The out-patient department (OPD) services at government hospitals across Jharkhand are off on Monday after doctors decided to skip duty following Indian Medical Association (IMA) call to boycott health service in protest against the assault on doctors in West Bengal. IMA-Jamshedpur general secretary Dr Mrittunjay Singh on Saturday appealed to the doctors of government and private hospitals to boycott work from Monday 6am to Tuesday 6am in solidarity with the assault on junior doctors at Neel Ratan Sarakar Medical College Hospital (NRS) in Kolkata on June 10 after the death of an 85-year-old patient during treatment there.





9:50 am IST Doctors demand law against violence on medicos The apex medical body, IMA, has demanded a comprehensive central law in dealing with violence on doctors and healthcare staff, and in hospitals. Security measures and the determinants leading to violence should also be addressed, it said in a statement. Exemplary punishment for perpetrators of violence should be a component of the central law and suitable amendments should be brought in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), the IMA said.





9:45 am IST Emergency, casualty services will continue to function The IMA said all non-essential services, including outdoor patient department (OPD) services, will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday. Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said.



