Excelsior Correspondent
Srinagar, Dec 23: Resident Doctors Association (RDA) at Shri Maharaja Hari Singh (SMHS) today suspended their strike for two weeks after assurances by Principal Government Medical College (GMC) Srinagar and a committee of Heads of the Departments (HODs).
The president of RDA, Dr Aadil Ashraf told Excelsior that they have decided to suspend the strike for two days and shall be returning to their duties from tomorrow. “After assurances by the Principal and Committee of HODs, we have decided to return to the work,” he said but added that the strike is suspended for two weeks only.
The Resident doctors of the SMHS hospital were on strike since December 18 after a mob thrashed two medicos’ over the death of an elderly patient. The mob accused the doctors of negligence while doctors blamed “administrative lapses and poor healthcare” for the death.
The agitating doctors were demanding security and over this demand they suspended the work, bringing the entire hospital working to halt. However, the emergency was exempted from the strike. After various meetings with hospital administration, the doctors finally today decided to return to the work after “mutual consensus”.
Besides security, the doctors are also demanding bringing of an ordinance which makes assault on an on-duty doctor a non-bailable act. Another demand includes exempting police from arresting a doctor on duty.
Meanwhile, in a communiqué to SMHS Authorities and Principal GMC, the RDA said: “…Strike will be resumed, if administration fails to accomplish their promised short term targets expected to be achieved reasonably within two week time frame.”
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