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Work at hospitals affected

Staff Reporter

Doctors, staff remain `off-work' in protest against Tuesday's assault incident

NEW DELHI: Work at Lok Nayak and Guru Tegh Bahadur hospitals here remained affected on Wednesday with resident doctors, nurses and Group C and D workers remaining "off-work" in protest against lack of adequate security at the premises. The strike was called off in the evening after the demand of the agitating doctors and employees was met. Resident doctors and nurses struck work at Lok Nayak Hospital after two doctors and a nurse were allegedly assaulted on Tuesday night by relatives of a patient who died in the hospital. According to doctors at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital, relatives of a seriously ill patient allegedly beat up a doctor on Tuesday night after which hospital staff stopped work.

The strike, however, was called off later in the evening at both hospitals with the authorities negotiating with the Delhi police that offered to provide an additional 30-police staff for security at the hospitals.

After the assault the hospital staff at both the hospitals have been demanding increased security cover stating that "such incidence" had become routine.

While emergency services continued to be provided to patients, normal work in all areas including medical wards, laboratory services and kitchen were hit due to the strike. The striking medical personnel submitted a charter of demand to Medical Superintendent, Lok Nayak Hospital and State Principal Secretary Health asking them to look into the matter urgently.

The employees were demanding withdrawal of all existing private security staff and deployment of only ex-servicemen, ex-Border Security Force and ex-Home Guard cadre. Employees are also asking for a minimum of two to four such security guards to be posted in each ward, outside the emergency and casualty, each ward block and operating theatre complex and a police van to be deployed around the clock in the casualty and emergency premises.

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