Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Apr 16: After remaining on strike for over 72 hours, Junior Doctors working in Government Medical College (GMC) and Shri Maharaja Gulab Singh (SMGS) hospitals called off their strike after assurance by the Minister for Medical Education Taj Mohi-ud-Din for providing fool proof security to them.
The junior doctors had decided to go on strike owing to the violent protest between attendants and doctors on April 13, after the alleged death of one Vishal Sharma, son of Tarseem Lal of Phalain Mandaal.
The junior doctors resumed their duties after the assurance by the Minister for Medical Education that fool proof security will be provided to the doctors in both the hospitals, sources added.
Minister for Medical Education Taj Mohi-ud-Din held a meeting with the Junior Doctors Association (JDA) leaders. Besides DC Jammu Ajit Kumar Sahu, Principal Aniece Chowdhary, Medical Superintendent, IGP Jammu, DIG and SP City were also present, sources added.
Minister assured JDA leaders that their demands will be redressed in the coming time, sources said, adding that the Minister also assured that fool proof security will be provided to the doctors and directed DIG to make proper security arrangements for the doctors in the hospitals.
JDA demanded limitation of attendants, on which the Minister said that the demand will be redressed within a month, sources said, adding, that the Minister has asked the CMOs and Resident Medical Officers (RMOs) to lodge FIR on behalf of doctors, if any untoward incident happens in the hospitals.
“Verbal or physical abuse, attack/ assault on the doctors should be made non-bailable offence”, JDA demanded, on which the Minister assured that in the next assembly session, he will table the bill in this regards and will get it passed.
Due to the strike by the junior doctors for over 72 hours, patients had to face lots of hardships, while many of them were immediately shifted by their kin to private clinics after sensing the situation to take a serious turn, sources said.