Resident doctors call off strike after five days

Tribune News Service

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Amritsar, February 9

After a lengthy meeting with Dr Punit Girdhar, OSD of the Punjab Health Minister, Brahm Mohindra, the Resident Doctors Association called of its five-day long strike and returned to the job today.

Talking to The Tribune, Dr Girdhar said he listened to the grievances of doctors and would apprise the Health Minister about the same during a meeting on Monday.

There were some security concerns among resident doctors, who also demanded installation of the CCTV cameras on the hospital campus, he added.

On the other hand Dr Sumit Dhiman of Resident Doctors Association claimed that the OSD had assured them that all demands would be met after meeting with the health minister.

The association also raised the security issue at the ENT and TB Hospital located outside the Government Medical College campus. Their demands also include the removal of Dr Surinder Pal from the post of medical superintendent of Guru Nanak Dev Hospital, added Dr Dhiman.

After the meeting with the OSD the association called off its strike with immediate effect. However, Dr Girdhar said the OSD did not give any such assurance about their demands. He would only apprise the Health Minister about their demands, he added. Further decision would be taken by the Health Minister, he said.

Besides, a student welfare committee comprising junior residents, senior residents and the Government Medical College authorities would be constituted. The committee would meet after every 15 days to look into the problems being faced by students in the college and on the hospital campus.

The health services at the reputed Guru Nanak Dev Hospital had crippled in past five days due to the ongoing strike called by the Residents Doctors Association following two instances of eve teasing on the campus.