Doctors call off stir as state vows protection

The strike called on Tuesday by the state’s two lakh-odd doctors has been called following a reported assurance by the chief minister.

The medical fraternity had given the strike call in the wake of rising number of attacks on doctors by patients’ relatives.

Chief Minister Ashok Chavan assured the doctors that the state would promulgate an ordinance to protect them from assaults, said Dr Tatyasaheb Lahane who led the doctors’ delegation to the chief minister on Monday. Dr Lahane said Chavan assured them the ordinance would be promulgated within a week.

“We appreciate the government’s concern…We have decided to call off our stir,” he said. A government source said the new act could make the offence (of assaulting doctors) non-bailable with a provision of seven-year jail term and recovery of compensation for damage caused.

On February 10, 15 relatives of a 73-year-old patient who died at KEM Hospital, assaulted five doctors on duty.