Medical facilities were affected at the Safdarjung Hospital in the capital as the resident doctors went on an indefinite strike demanding security after a medic was beaten up by the relatives of a patient on Saturday.
Over 1,200 resident doctors, including MBBS students, together went on strike.
The decision was taken after a doctor, a nurse and a hospital guard were thrashed by the relatives of a patient named Prabhu who died at the hospital on Saturday.
He was admitted on Friday with jaundice and low haemoglobin level.
The relatives alleged that the doctors didn’t take care of the patient and misbehaved. However the doctors’ version was otherwise.
“The patient’s relatives beat up one of our nurses, a resident doctor and a guard. They blamed the doctor for the death of the patient,” Dr Chandrabhan, President of the Resident Doctors Association, said.
“Such incidents have occurred in the past too. We want the administration to ensure security. We want a permanent solution to this and we will continue our strike till our problems are addressed,” he said.
Medical Superintendent Dr M.K. Mohanty has called a meeting with the association to find out a solution to the problem, sources said.
The medical services were disrupted but senior doctors were trying keep the functioning normal.
The situation may worsen if the strike continues on Monday when the outpatients department will reopen.
Earlier in June, junior doctors, including post-graduate students, interns and junior residents of the hospital went on strike for two days to protest against alleged lack of basic facilities for them.