PGIMS doctors call off strike

Sunit Dhawan

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, May 26

Resident doctors at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) protesting against the registration of a case against their colleagues on the charge of negligence and misbehaving with a woman, who died after delivering a stillborn, called off their strike today.

After Pradeep Kasni, Director General (Medical Education and Research), assured doctors last evening that their concerns would be addressed, they were divided into two groups — one willing to end the strike and the other bent on continuing it.

It has been learnt that he threatened them with legal action if they continued the strike. Sources said the doctors were threatened with action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA).

Some doctors joined duty in the morning, while others were adamant on continuing the agitation. The authorities of the University of Health Sciences and PGIMS persuaded them to end the strike and rejoin duty.

Local BJP MLA Manish Grover played a key role in breaking the impasse. Indian Medical Association (IMA) vice-president Dr DS Jaspal was present at the meeting of representatives of resident doctors and state authorities yesterday.

Dr Ravi Yadav, who had been coordinating the strike, said the authorities assured resident doctors that the police investigation would be fair. Dr Vijay Garg, Additional Director, Medical Education and Research, will look into the allegations of indiscretion or irregularities during the internal inquiry.

The doctors were also assured of the implementation of the Haryana Medicare Services (Prevention of Violence and Damage to Property) Act, 2009. It was decided that a committee (including representatives of the resident doctors) would be formed for the implementation of the residency guidelines governing service conditions of resident doctors.

The university authorities agreed to allow leave of kind due to the protesting doctors for the period of protest.

Jind woman Neelam and her newborn died at the PGIMS on the night of May 18. The woman’s family alleged they had died due to negligence of doctors. The doctors as well as the PGIMS authorities, however, said the child was stillborn, while the woman died of her critical health condition.

The doctors decided to strike work after an FIR was lodged on the directions of Health Minister Anil Vij.