Maharashtra Doctors Call Off Strike After CM Fadnavis’ Assurance

The Indian Medical Association called off its strike after Fadnavis assured them of security at their workplaces.

Resident doctors show placards during a protest rally at the KEM hospital demanding security after an intern was assaulted by patient’s relatives, in Mumbai on Wednesday. (Photo: PTI)

Late on Friday night, resident doctors finally decided to call off their ‘mass leave’ held to protest a spate of attacks against doctors and resume duty.

The Indian Medical Association on Friday had called off its strike after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis assured them of security at their workplaces.

The 40,000 medical practitioners associated with the IMA had called off their strike on Friday. The remaining 4,500 resident doctors in Maharashtra also called it off late Friday night.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors’ (MARD’s) lawyer assured the court that the doctors would return to their duties by 8 am tomorrow.

Fadnavis had on Friday warned of legal action and had given them an ultimatum to resume duties after his meet with their representatives. The high court on Thursday had also asked doctors to resume work immediately.

In a late night development on Thursday, the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) on Thursday had urged all resident medicos to call off their four-day-long mass cash leave agitation immediately.

The MARD said the Bombay High Court had taken a very sympathetic view of the doctors’ concerns about physical security and related issues.

Also Read: Over 20K Doctors in Delhi, Guwahati Join Maharashtra Strike

Earlier on Thursday, the high court directed the government and hospital administrations to provide at least 500 security guards in state hospitals, including four in Mumbai, by 5 April and another 600 by 15 April.

The court said it will monitor the issue of security of medicos at their workplaces at regular intervals and posted the public interest litigation for hearing after a fortnight.

Both MARD and Indian Medical Association (IMA) welcomed the high court ruling but pointed out that the ground realities have not yet changed.

“The court has directed to provide security in all hospitals by 5 April. But attacks on doctors have not yet stopped, with at least three assaults reported in the past 24 hours,” IMA Secretary Parthiv Sanghvi said.

The high court asked authorities to permit only two relatives per patient inside the hospital and said the government should deploy security at various hospitals as assured.

Also Read: Maharashtra Strike: 1000 Protesting Doctors Asked to Vacate Hostel

(With inputs from IANS.)