Safdarjung doctors continue strike, patients in a lurch

Resident doctors of Safdarjung Hospital in the capital continued their strike for the second day on Wednesday, leaving hundreds of patients in a lurch.

This is the second flash strike by doctors at the hospital in less than a month.

The resident doctors went on strike after some lady doctors and nurses were allegedly manhandled by angry relatives of a patient who died of suspected dengue on Tuesday morning.

The doctors are demanding protection against such incidents.

According to hospital sources, the authorities are considering invoking provisions of the tough Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), which means a doctor striking work can get up to six months in jail.

"We will continue the strike until the authorities take steps for the security of the doctors. Misbehaving with a lady doctor inside the hospital premises cannot be tolerated. This is not the way one can work. Until a proper solution is brought in for the safety of the doctors, we will continue the strike," Chandrabhan, president of Safdarjung's Resident Doctors' Association, said.

On the other hand, the spokesperson of the hospital said: "If the resident doctors continue the strike, it will be difficult to manage the OPD block which has a lot of patients due to dengue and other seasonal maladies. So, the OPD might have to be closed."