Rohit Shishodia
Health care services, including emergency services, have come to a grinding halt at Delhi's Safdarjung hospital as 1500 resident doctors continued their strike for the second day in protest against the assault on a junior doctor on duty in the emergency on January 13, 2019.

The doctor was assaulted by attendants of a patient who had complained of abdominal pain. The doctor was punched on his nose due to which he started bleeding and suffered a nose fracture.

The doctor fell unconscious and was treated by fellow doctors. The doctor is presently admitted in the ward. Enraged by the assault on their colleague, the doctors immediately went on strike, stopping emergency and OPD services.

Many patients coming with critical injuries and serious conditions were left without treatment. Left with no option, the patients went to other hospitals.

Dr Prakash Thakur, President,  RDA,  Vardhman Mahavir Medical College- Safdurjung Hospital, told DTMT that the doctor was providing treatment to the patient but the patient thought that the doctor was not giving due care to him. He started abusing the doctor and he was punched on his nose by one of his attendants.

“One of the attendants of the patient was a policeman who even offered to hit the doctor with a lathi. This was happening in front of the security guards and patients in the emergency wards. The incident demoralized us and we informed the medical superintendent about proceeding on immediate strike,” said Dr Thakur.

“We filed an FIR against the attackers. We demand the deployment of bouncers to protect us from such assaults. These attacks keep happening but nobody protects us. But this time, we are determined to get some concrete solution,” added Dr Thakur.

Dr Thakur said that consultants are now treating patients in absence junior doctors.