Mumbai doctors protest: IMA denies reports of calling off strike

Mumbai (Maharashtra) (India), Mar. 22 (ANI): After Mumbai Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan asserted that state doctors have agreed to resume work by 8 pm today, the Secretary of Indian Medical Association (Mumbai) Dr. Parthiv Sanghvi categorically denied the statement saying that doctors have not called off their strike whatsoever. "Girish Mahajan's statement is absolutely false and misguiding, doctors have not taken their strike back, we are supporting the strike completely," Sanghvi told ANI. However, Girish Mahajan had earlier asserted that the doctors have agreed to resume work by 8 pm on Wednesday and will work in harmony. "After having a meeting, the doctors have agreed to resume work by 8 pm. I have also assured them that we will take strong steps for their security and measures will be in place in 15 days," said Mahajan. Earlier in the day, Sanghvi said that they will continue with the strike if the terminations and suspensions of the doctors are not withdrawn. He added that the Indian Medical Association completely supports the demands and the strike will continue till these remarks are not made across Maharashtra. He further said all Out Patient Departments (OPD) and emergency services will stand withdrawn. All the members are instructed to strike in support to the cause of these resident doctors. Mumbai's JJ Hospital has initiated expulsion process of the doctors striking over recent incidents of assault against them. The dean of Government Medical College in Nagpur has suspended 301 resident doctors on this issue. More than a thousand doctors in Maharashtra have been protesting since Monday, demanding better security at hospitals with the increase in incidents of attacks by patients' relatives. The Emergency ward and Out Patient Department (OPD) have been affected the most by the ongoing strike. The Bombay High Court earlier on Tuesday ordered Maharashtra's resident doctors to resume work immediately or face action by the management. The court has specifically said that the hospital management is free to initiate action and contempt proceedings against the doctors on strike. While asking them to resume their duties immediately, the High Court on Tuesday said that it will hear the junior doctors' mass leave issue today. The state government has told the court that medical services in Maharashtra were paralysed because 60 per cent of the resident doctors across the state went on strike. The court has directed the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to ask all doctors to resume their duties. (ANI)