JOIN USA permanent police picket of four constables has been posted at LNJP following a doctors’ strike who were demanding enhanced security in the hospital. The strike was called off on Monday evening.
A wooden structure has come up in front of the emergency ward which will house the constables. They will be available on call for all parts of the hospital.
“We have got assurance for the rest of our demands from the health secretary of Delhi Government,” said Dr Vinay Aggarwal, general secretary, resident doctors association, LNJP.
Senior and junior residents and MBBS students were striking as some of them were manhandled twice last week after midnight.
On Thursday, nearly 15 people attacked four junior doctors at mid-night after a young girl died of intestinal disorder. Some emergency ward property was also damaged.
On Saturday night, an angry mother slapped an MBBS student because she had asked the mother to administer nebulisation for her daughter, who had an asthma attack.
The doctors on strike had a comprehensive set of demands. They asked for increased number of guards, especially female guards. “There was no female guard when the girl-intern was slapped and hence no one could catch the perpetrator,” said Aggarwal.
The medicos demanded proper lighting in the hospital campus to cover the dark areas; an alarm system connected to the casualty and nearby police station; and installation of CCTV cameras and ensuring that the existing cameras worked.
“We have also demanded implementation of the Doctors’ Protection Act. A simplified version of the act should be put up in Hindi, Urdu and English so that people know about the punishment on misbehaviour with a doctor,” said Aggarwal.