Shimla: An indefinite strike of over 2,000 resident doctors in Himachal Pradesh was called off when Chief Minister Thakur Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured him that the dismissal of one of the senior resident doctors would be reinstated via a fresh investigation. The choice to go back to work was made in what the physicians said was the greater common good.
The demonstration was prompted by the firing of a senior resident physician of Department of Pulmonary Medicine in Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC), Shimla, on December 22 after he was involved in physical fight with a patient. The video of the incident, which was viral on social media, showed that the doctor punched a patient, and the patient seemed to retaliate lying on a hospital bed. The video raised numerous indignations among the masses and put the state government under the strong review as it continues to push its healthcare reform agenda.
Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of IGMC reported that the strike, which started on Sunday, its second day, was called off, as the Chief Minister promised them that the termination would be revisited and that a clear and time bound investigation would be carried out. The strike had not stopped emergency services and routine medical services had been disrupted at a number of hospitals. Before the protest escalated, resident doctors had already gone on mass leave on Friday before the protest.
Although the strike was canceled the association said that it awaits the official withdrawal of the termination order, pending the decision on the reopened investigation. The physicians have set another meeting at January 3 where they will determine their next move in case their demands go unnoticed.
The Chief Minister, Sukhu, begged the doctors to go back to work earlier in the day and assured them that he had instructed authorities to revisit the case. He also promised to take stricter measures against those who were reported to threaten the doctor and said that new guidelines would be structured in a manner, that guaranteed the safety and security of doctors in hospitals.
Addressing the mediapersons, Sukhu told them that nothing was final and that the case could be re-examined in case the doctor believed that he was unjustly punished. The Chief Minister, however, also emphasized that the doctor ought to have engaged the due process of filing a complaint rather than engaging physical violence.
The doctor and the patient had been convicted of misconduct by an earlier inquiry committee, according to the officials. The patient, who was known as Arjun Singh, said that the conflict started when her husband refused to be called by a disrespectful name, and it led to an argument. The physician, however, claimed that the patient had abused him and his family using abusive language.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the government had cut the duty hours of senior resident doctors to 12 hours and raised their stipend to 1 lakh per month, as compared to the 48 hours and 65 000. He claimed that in spite of these efforts, the outbreak of indiscipline cases was on the rise, something that would affect the confidence of people in the healthcare system.
Sukhu has highlighted the importance of the doctor to the patient and how empathy and professionalism are very important in the recovery process. He cautioned that such cases would deter economically disadvantaged groups to get medical care.
In the meantime, the resident doctors reaffirmed their request to have the suspended doctor reinstated, a just cause, and harsh measures to be taken against what they described as anti-social elements that have caused havoc in the hospital. The state health minister was no exception and said the strike was a preventable measure and that it could have been diffused earlier through an apology.
