The protesting doctors in West Bengal on Monday agreed to withdraw their week-long stir after Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee announced steps to scale up security at hospitals. An assurance to call off the strike came at a meeting Ms Banerjee held with representatives of the striking doctors at the state secretariat. "We are satisfied with the meeting," a representative of the doctors said, assuring Ms Banerjee that the strike is going to be called off. A formal announcement on withdrawal of the strike is likely to be made from the epicentre of the protest, the NRS Medical College and Hospital.
Healthcare services at several government and private hospitals in parts of the country were hit as scores of doctors have decided to boycott work for a day in support of their striking colleagues in West Bengal. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) had given the June 17 doctors' strike call with the withdrawal of non-essential health services across the country. IMA members will also stage a dharna at its headquarters in the national capital.
All outpatient departments (OPDs), routine operation theatre services and ward visits will be withdrawn for 24 hours from 6 am on Monday to 6 am Tuesday, the IMA said. Emergency and casualty services will continue to function, it said. The Doctors' Strike comes amid allegations that a resident doctor at the country's top medical institute AIIMS in Delhi was abused by the relatives of a patient around 1 am on Sunday.
The junior doctors in Bengal, who had so far refused Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's appeal for talks, softened their stand on Sunday. "We are keen to end this impasse. We are ready to hold talks with the chief minister at a venue of her choice, provided it is held in the open, in the presence of media persons, and not behind closed doors," a spokesperson of the doctors said after a two-hour meeting.
