Patna medical college junior doctors on strike after assault on Colleague

Patna: Medical services remained affected at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) here for the second consecutive day following a strike by junior doctors to protest the assault on a fellow medical professional by kins of a patient.

According to PMCH superintendent Deepak Tandon "an FIR was lodged yesterday itself at the Pirbahor police station in connection with the violence that erupted after 20-year-old Mohammad Zahid was declared brought dead at the hospital".

"The family members of the deceased alleged that he died at the hospital yesterday because of the negligence of the doctors on duty and started beating them up. In protest, the junior doctors went on a flash strike," he said.

The PMCH Superintendent said "We have been trying to persuade them to withdraw the stir beside requesting the administration for better security arrangements at the hospital.

Senior doctors are taking care to ensure that serious patients do not suffer." Meanwhile, Junior Doctors Association (JDA) president Vinay Kumar told reporters today "we will continue our stir until we see some concrete action by the government for safety of doctors on emergency duty. Whenever such incidents take place, it is the junior doctors who are at the receiving end." Health Minister Mangal Pandey had yesterday come out in support of the striking doctors saying "the violence that broke out inside the hospital premises cannot be blamed on the medical professionals. It often happens that people, when faced with grief, behave in a very emotional manner". Health ministry sources said Pandey has called JDA members for a meeting this evening where he is likely to assure them that their demands will be met and request them to call off the stir.