Resident doctors of the JJ Hospital in Mumbai on Tuesday called off their strike after the Maharashtra government assured to meet their demands for security, reported PTI. Over 400 doctors of the hospital went on a strike after family members of a patient, who had died on Saturday, attacked two resident doctors and a nurse.
The state has now decided to post 28 more security guards at the hospital and has promised to appoint more guards in a phased manner over the next three to six months, Dr Amol Henkare of JJ Hospital’s Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors told The Times of India. Maharashtra medical education chief Dr Pravin Shingare said a security audit would be conducted before more guards were appointed.
Minister for Medical Education Girish Mahajan said that the demand for buzzers too has been approved. “We have identified 73 spots and will place 254 buzzers or alarms over the next two months,” he told the daily, adding that resident doctors would be given training in grief counselling and communication.
“Our main concern was security of doctors, which has been assured of, and we have decided to resume duty,” said Dr Akash Mane, the general secretary of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors, according to PTI.
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