Delhi govt invokes ESMA, doctors’ strike continues

Meanwhile, the Delhi government on Tuesday invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) against striking doctors who refused to join duty even after the city administration accepted their demands.

“ESMA has been invoked on the striking doctors. We can’t let the patients die in the Delhi government hospitals. They are constantly suffering due to the agitation by the doctors even after we have accepted the demands,” Delhi’s Health Minister Satyendra Jain told reporters in the Delhi Assembly premises. 

“Doctors are saying that they now want the Central government and Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) to accept their demands now,” he said.

Meena Singh visited Safdarjung Hospital to get her dislocated knees treated. “I cannot stand or walk for too long but still I am sitting here since 7 am to get my check up. It was only after 2 pm that the doctor could see me because of the huge line of patients waiting outside,” she said. 

Meena has to get her knees operated upon and has to visit the hospital regularly for medication. On Tuesday, she was kept waiting as there was <g data-gr-id="41">lack</g> of doctors at the hospital and she wondered if her operation would also be cancelled due to the strike.

“Many patients returned after their registration because there was no doctor available to treat them,” said an official at Safdarjung Hospital. 

Patients waited in long lines as there was only one doctor for around 30 patients. Manohar took his pregnant wife for a check-up to the hospital. A rickshaw driver by profession, he and his wife were made to wait for a long time outside the gynecologist’s room. “I cannot afford to go to a private hospital to get a check-up and the hospital authorities here are silent on why there is so much inconvenience,” he added.

At Safdarjung Hospital, an unsigned notification was put up at various OPDs in the hospital, claiming that there is no strike or mass leave. The doctors shall continue their duties as per schedule. 

However, representatives of Federation Of Resident Doctors Association (<g data-gr-id="39">FORDA</g>) denied any association. “We are participating in the strike. These are baseless notices attempting to create a rift among the doctors,” said a Senior Resident doctor.