The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA), which had announced an indefinite strike on Wednesday, decided to withdraw the call after talks with the Health Minister on Thursday. In a statement, TNGDA president K Senthil said an order on security measures was issued by the Directorate of Medical Education, and the Minister promised to review the implementation of the measures after a month.
Demanding safety and security measures for doctors and hospital premises, government doctors had staged demonstrations across Tamil Nadu.
The protest came following the assault on a senior medical oncologist at Kalaignar Centenary Super Speciality Hospital (KCSSH).
With the Indian Medical Association-Tamil Nadu State Branch also took part in a 24-hour strike which continued from 6 pm on Wednesday to 6 pm on Thursday, outpatient services and elective surgeries were suspended at many government and private hospitals.
In Chennai, doctors demanded that armed police personnel be deployed at government hospitals, and hospitals be declared safe zones with two-tier security.
Doctors affiliated even wore black badges to work and conducted a peaceful demonstration at RGGGH. The association demanded stringent action to prevent similar incidents in the future by increasing the number of police outposts and police personnel at all hospitals.
Outpatient services in 400 plus government and private hospitals in Erode were disrupted as over 1,500 doctors went on strike to condemn the attack.
Many patients, unaware of the strike, arrived at the hospitals only to return without receiving treatment.
At the District Headquarters Hospital in Erode, doctors under the banner TNGDA and IMA staged a demonstration on the hospital premises wearing black ribbons. They demanded the maximum punishment for the accused who assaulted the doctor.
Doctors at government hospitals in Vellore, Ranipet, Tirupattur and Tiruvannamalai demanded increased police security in hospitals.
Except emergency services including trauma and deliveries, remaining services including outpatient ward, elective surgeries and classes for medical students were suspended.
More than 300 doctors, PG students and house surgeons participated in the strike at the Government Medical College Hospital in Tiruvannamalai, said M. Balachandar, president, TNGDA, Tiruvannamalai.
Doctors called for strict action under Hospital Protection Act and BNS criminal provisions on people who attack doctors with the intention to kill.
“The Government must ensure the safety of all healthcare professionals,” said P Kumaran of TNGDA, Thoothukudi.
Despite the protest, all departments continued to function as usual, said G. Sivakumar, Dean of Thoothukudi Medical College and Hospital.
Around 500 doctors, including house surgeons and PG, of the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital assembled in front of the Dean’s office and staged a protest.
“Trained personnel, preferably permanent staff, should be appointed as security guards. Entry and exit of visitors should be monitored at hospitals. Various demands put forward to the government should be implemented within 15 days,” said TNGDA honorary chairperson N. Ravishankar.
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