Bhopal: The Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) called off its strike after meeting with Gandhi Medical College (GMC) Dean Dr MC Sonagara, who assured them to fulfill their demands. The JUDA mainly demanded proper supply of medicines, equipment and other facilities for patients and the doctors said that they have to face the ire of patients and their kin in the absence of above facilities.
Frequent clashes between doctors and kin used to make newspaper headlines and it is just because of shortage of medicines and other things. When the junior doctors ask the kin to purchase medicines from market, they have to face their ire. The junior doctors raised these issues before the Dean of Gandhi Medical College before calling off their strike on Friday. Earlier, patients had to face brunt of strike. Almost 50 per cent of operations have been postponed. Some patients were forced to move to private hospitals.
Most patients who knew about the strike were also in queue at emergency for slips. Hamidia Hospital is a multispeciality hospital in Bhopal and patients from far flung area visit it. It is affiliated to Gandhi Medical College, Bhopal. The JUDA also demanded withdrawal of FIR lodged against Dr Sujit Mishra on Friday. They also demanded deployment of women police in Hamidia Hospital and there must be proper arrangement of medicines, equipment etc. They had gone on strike when an FIR was lodged against Dr Sujit Mishra on the complaint of Simaran’s, 8, relatives—Ajaj, Iqbal, Anas and Azaras.
In fact, Dr Mishra postponed operation of Simaran’s hand on Wednesday for Thursday. Relatives turned unruly and used abusive words against Dr Mishra. It led to scuffle between junior doctors and Simran’s relatives. Immediately relatives were booked but later on Dr Mishra was also booked. A case under Section 294,324,506,34 of IPC and Section 3-4 Doctors Protection Act were registered against Ajaj, Iqbal, Anas and Azaras.
JUDA president Nishant Srivastava said, “We have called off strike and even we started working. Normalcy will be returned from Saturday. GMC Dean assured the junior doctors that their demands like withdrawal of the case against Sujit Mishra would be considered.
“We have also discussed the bone of contention between patients/relatives and junior doctors like shortage and non-availability of medicines due to which relatives have to go for purchasing from open market and they confront with doctors. We have discussed about security as police remain mute spectators when relatives attacked doctors. We have also demanded deployment of women police in Hamidia Hospital. Overall, GMC Dean assured them of taking initiatives,” JUDA president added.
