Delhi: Docs at LNJP hospital go on strike, demand more security

Doctors at the state-run LNJP hospital went on a strike to protest the assault on a third-year medical student of Maulana Azad Medical College. Their main demand is augmenting of security deployment, including having marshalls in the emergency department.

New Delhi:Doctors at the Delhi government-run LNJP hospital went on a strike Monday over an alleged assault on a medical student by a patient's attendant, officials said.

As part of the strike, which started in the morning, both regular and emergencies services are currently shut, affecting patients at the biggest Delhi government-run hospital, the medical superintendent said.

The Resident Doctors' Association of the Lok Nayak Jai Prakash Narayan (LNJP) Hospital has claimed that the stir has been triggered by an alleged assault on a third-year student of Maulana Azad Medical College, who was on duty last night in the emergency department.

"A patient was brought to the ER department and later died of some complications. An attendant then assaulted one of the doctors," RDA president Saiket Jena alleged.

"In last few days, several such incidents of attack on doctors have taken place in the hospital premises. So, we have gone on a strike," he said.

Their main demand is augmenting of security deployment, including having marshalls in the emergency department, Medical Superintendent Dr Kishore Singh said.

A meeting is currently underway between the RDA and hospital authorities, he said.

The incident comes days after two junior doctors at NRS Hospital in Kolkata were assaulted allegedly by the relatives of a patient who died at the hospital.

Junior doctors in West Bengal went on a strike following the incident over lack of security at the workplace.