Striking junior doctors of Gandhi hospital refuse to relent as talks fail

The junior doctors of Gandhi Hospital who went on a flash strike on Wednesday refused to call off their agitation after the talks they held with the government failed in the evening.
PG doctors block a road near Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad on Wednesday as they protest the violence against healthcare workers | Vinay Madapu
PG doctors block a road near Gandhi Hospital in Hyderabad on Wednesday as they protest the violence against healthcare workers | Vinay Madapu

HYDERABAD: The junior doctors of Gandhi Hospital who went on a flash strike on Wednesday refused to call off their agitation after the talks they held with the government failed in the evening. The Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) representatives held talks with Health Minister Eatala Rajender, but the talks broke down when he did not accede to all their demands.

The doctors’ demands include  decentralisation of treatment to Covid-19 patients and deployment of Special Protection Force in all the areas of hospital. The doctors went on strike on Tuesday night after the attendants of a patient attacked one of their colleagues. 

JUDA wants timeline on beefing up security 

On Wednesday night, the JUDA said it would continue with the strike at the Gandhi Hospital. As many as 300 PG medical students and 150 house surgeons are on strike. The Health Minister met the students, along with senior police officials, the Health Department officials and superintendent of the hospital, and heard their grievances.

He told the doctors that henceforth only severe acute respiratory illness cases will be decentralised, but not those who have both SARI and Covid-19 as they would be sent to Gandhi Hospital. The doctors did not agree to it since they wanted the case load be shared by other hospitals.

Also, the Minister did not respond positively to their demand for recruitment of more staff. The doctors were unhappy with the government not giving any specific timeline on beefing up security with the Special Protection Force. He, however, consented to two demands. “The Minister agreed only to the suggestion that TJUDA members must be on the Health Advisory Panel.

To this, he said a five-member team can be formed at the TJUDA level and it will meet the Minister every week,” said Dr Khizer Junaidy, a TJUDA member. 

The Minister also responded positively to provide enough PPEs to healthcare workers. Even though there are government-appointed doctors, senior residents, associate professors, assistant professors and professors at Gandhi Hospital, it is likely that patient care will take a hit. 

Politicians  stopped from visiting hospital

Police personnel on Wednesday prevented a Congress delegation, consisting of former MP Konda Visweshwar Reddy, TPCC general secretary Bollu Kishan and TPCC treasurer Gudur Narayana Reddy, from visiting Gandhi Hospital to meet the protesting doctors.

Narayan Reddy condemned the behaviour of the police and said they are acting as KCR’s tools. “Doctors are complaining of work pressure. The staff and poor infrastructure are insufficient,” he said. The police prevented BJP MLC N Ramchander Rao from visiting the hospital

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