Doctors’ strike cripples health services in city

Based on directions and assurances of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Jain called a meeting of doctors’ representatives on Monday evening.

“In the meeting, Delhi Health Minister has assured us of resolving issues faced by doctors in Delhi Government hospitals. He, however, expressed helplessness on being able to do much for doctors working in MCD and Central Government hospitals. We want all the issues to be solved together for which the three government agencies – Delhi government, MCD and Union Health Ministry need to sit and find a solution,’ said Mohit Garg, secretary of Federation of Resident Doctors Association (<g data-gr-id="29">FORDA</g>).

The health services in the city were severely hit as around 20,000 resident doctors of the city went on strike on Monday raising various issues like lack of security, life-saving drugs in hospitals, sanitation, and seats in hospitals. The strike was not only limited to the hospitals of Delhi government but also affected Central Government Hospitals like Safdargunj Hospital and RML Hospital and prominent MCD hospitals like Hindu Rao Hospital.

Earlier in the day, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal directed the state health department to implement the demands of the resident doctors in the capital’s government hospitals, who went on an indefinite strike on Monday. “Most demands of striking doctors are genuine. I have directed the health department to implement them. The health department should have resolved it earlier,” Kejriwal said in a tweet.

He said the government was committed to providing the best health facilities to the masses which was not possible without the cooperation of doctors. Over 20,000 resident doctors in 25 Delhi government hospitals on Monday went on strike demanding a slew of reforms in the Delhi government hospitals. Doctors had gone on strike in February too, after which Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain assured them <g data-gr-id="48">better working</g> conditions.