The protesting doctors in West Bengal on Monday agreed to withdraw their week-long stir after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced steps to scale up security at hospitals. An assurance to call off the strike came at a meeting Ms Banerjee held with representatives of the striking doctors at the state secretariat. "We are satisfied with the meeting," a representative of the doctors said, assuring Ms Banerjee that the strike is going to be called off. A formal announcement on withdrawal of the strike is likely to be made from the epicentre of the protest, the NRS Medical College and Hospital.
Healthcare services at several government and private hospitals in parts of the country were hit as scores of doctors have decided to boycott work for a day in support of their striking colleagues in West Bengal. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had given the June 17 doctors' strike call with the withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country. IMA members will also stage a dharna at its headquarters in the national capital.
All outpatient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday, the IMA said. Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said. The Doctors' Strike comes amid allegations that a resident doctor at the country's top medical institute AIIMS in Delhi was abused by the relatives of a patient around 1 am on Sunday.
The junior doctors in Bengal, who had so far refused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal for talks, softened their stand on Sunday. "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors," a spokesperson of the doctors said after a two-hour meeting.
Here are the highlights from the Doctors' Strike:
Junior doctor in West Bengal call off week-long strike after meeting with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accepted the proposal of doctors to set up Grievance Redressal Cell in Government Hospitals. https://t.co/h3mGR0s5cB
- ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
West Bengal: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee arrives for meeting with representatives of doctors at Nabanna.
West Bengal: CM Mamata Banerjee arrives for meeting with representatives of doctors at Nabanna. pic.twitter.com/ebcD15p026
- ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
West Bengal: State Health Department bus carrying representatives of doctors scheduled to meet CM Mamata Banerjee in Nabanna, today. pic.twitter.com/vNosuVOfKa
- ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
Bhubaneswar: Doctors continue to hold protest at All India Institutes of Medical Sciences, in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal. #Odisha pic.twitter.com/Z90aV8owDz
- ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
Resident Doctors' Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to go on strike from 12 noon today till 6 am tomorrow, in support of violence against doctors in West Bengal.
Delhi: Resident Doctors' Association of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (#AIIMS) holds protest march against violence against doctors in West Bengal. pic.twitter.com/A2TyjiM8PO
- ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
Gujarat: Indian Medical Association today has called for a nationwide strike of doctors in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal; Doctors at Sir Sayajirao General Hospital in Vadodara hold protest outside Out Patient Department pic.twitter.com/Ya6NS3CE3x
- ANI (@ANI) June 17, 2019
