New Delhi:
Nearly 1000 resident doctors at Delhi's premier Safdarjung Hospital have gone on an indefinite strike from yesterday evening demanding better security in the campus, accommodation for more doctors and timely dispersion of salaries. The doctors have met the management this afternoon but say they have not reached a resolution yet. However the management of the hospital now says that over 70 per cent of them have returned to work.
Many doctors, have vowed to continue their protest till their demands are met.
They said they would start parallel OPDs tomorrow in the hospital premises to ensure patients don't have to return without treatment.
"We are not being paid regular salary and even the accommodation for resident doctors is not sufficient. Our demands have not been met by the administration despite several assurances in the past. Hence, we have resorted to the strike," said a resident doctor.
While emergency services at the hospital are said to be functioning normally, out patient department (OPD) and surgical services have been hit, affecting many of the thousands of patients who are treated at the government-run hospital daily.
The hospital has called in about 150 consultant doctors to attend to the patients. However all surgeries have been put on hold for now. This has affected several patients who often have to wait for weeks for operation dates in the hospital.
S N Makwana, the public relations officer of the hospital, said a meeting will soon be held with Health Ministry officials to resolve the matter.
The Safdarjung Hospital has a capacity of 1500 beds but is always overburdened with twice its strength.