Attacks on doctors refuse to subside, as in yet another such attack, a resident doctor was assaulted by the relatives of a patient who had died owing to medical complications.

The doctor was attacked inside the ward of  Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) hospital which led to a flash strike by the resident doctors. The strike was later called off after Delhi Government moved into undo the damage and assured doctors of security.

According to minutes of meeting held between Resident Doctors of LNJP and Principal health Secretary, seven demands were discussed.

The representatives of Resident Doctors’ Association were also assured that all their demand will be considered.

The demand raised by RDA including deploying marshals with immediate effect on temporary basis followed by recruitment of permanent marshalls within this month, Installing alarm system and CCTV cameras with audio installation in general and emergency wards at LNJP and associated hospitals, Social workers and councellors should be appointed in wards to to address the grieving relatives,   

“We have immediately agreed to their demand of deployment of marshalls in the hospital, including in emergency ward.

Other demands like installation of CCTV cameras at other places, we are looking into those aspects, and areas are being identified,” Delhi Health Secretary Sanjeev Khirwar told PTI.

As many as 48 marshalls will be deployed eventually, 16 in each of the three shifts across the hospital campus, he said.

Delhi Health Minister Satyendar Jain Monday said an act of violence against doctors is condemnable. “I have directed health secretary to consider demands of doctors, whether it is deployment of marshalls or installation of CCTV in regular wards. Both demands will be soon taken care of,” he said.

Meanwhile, Delhi Government spoke person tweeted “Delhi Health Minister @SatyendarJain directs Health Secretary to consider all demands of Doctors, who are demanding security while on duty,”

The RDA of the LNJP Hospital had claimed the stir was triggered by an alleged assault on a third-year postgraduate student of Maulana Azad Medical College, who was on duty last night in the emergency department, around 11 pm.

“A patient was brought to the ER department and later died of some complications. An attendant then assaulted a person on duty, who is a third-year student of MD at the college,” RDA president Saiket Jena alleged.

“In the last few days, several such incidents of attack on doctors have taken place in the hospital premises. So, we have gone on a strike,” he said in the morning.

A senior police official said the hospital authorities have given a statement to them that they do not want to file a police complaint.

Jena claimed the accused person has “tendered an apology” so they have decided not to pursue the case.

The protesting doctors were demanding adequate security deployment, including marshalls in the emergency department, the medical superintendent said.