Services in 40 govt hospitals, except AIIMS, hit as doctors go on mass leave to protest attacks in Maharashtra; more hospitals likely to join protest

United in their demand for a safer work environment, over 10,000 doctors from across major government hospitals in the city, including Ram Manohar Lohia, Lady Hardinge, Lok Nayak and the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), participated in a protest on Thursday.

Doctors in about 40 major hospitals, except AIIMS, went on a mass causal leave, with the Indian and the Delhi Medical Associations extending their support to the agitation.

ICUs operational

Although emergency services were operational at the hospitals, out-patient departments, wards and routine operation theatres were unavailable to patients between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Dr. Pankaj Solanki, president, Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA), said only doctors running emergency services and ICUs were working.

At AIIMS, resident doctors continued to work with helmets on for the second day on Thursday as a mark of protest.

“Doctors at AIIMS have decided to continue their duties wearing driving helmets as part of the #SavetheSaviours campaign. AIIMS is a tertiary care hospital where poor patients from across the country come with prior appointments. Therefore, we will not stop our work,” said Dr. Vijay Gurjar, president of the resident doctors’ association at AIIMS.

He added that the institute condemned the Maharashtra government’s move to suspend doctors.

“Our doctors will continue working with their helmets on till the government comes back with a favourable response,” said Dr. Gurjar.

Highlighting how assault on doctors have become a routine affair, a member of the Delhi Medical Association said, “Violence against doctors has been a constant cause of strikes in Delhi. However, nothing has been done to stop the attacks.”

Meanwhile, more hospitals are likely to join the protest.

Dr. D. S. Rana, Chairman, Board of Management, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, said: “Our hospital expresses solidarity with the concerns of IMA and DMA regarding the safety of doctors. General and private OPDs of our hospital will not function on Friday. The in-patient as well as emergency services will, however, function normally.”

Stalemate continues

Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, the stand-off between the doctors and the government continues. The doctors, who had gone on a mass casual leave on Sunday, demanding proper security, are yet to join work.

The government had asked them to start work by 8 p.m. on Thursday, warning if they failed to comply, they would lose six months’ salary.