Mumbai: Resident doctors of JJ hospital go on strike

Maharashtra: Resident doctors from Grant Medical College and JJ Hospital have reported strike over the gross injustice delivered towards their 12 colleagues from ophthalmology department of the hospital.

All 400 resident doctors have gone on an indefinite strike over the matter of harsh work environment and incessant mental harassment at the hands of department heads.

Dr Swapnil Meshram, General Secretary of JJ MARD, in his statement has implied that this step is a result of continuous mistreatment by the senior ophthalmologists. The two seniors do not share any knowledge or provide training to the resident doctors. Also, they are being treated as nurses and ward boys at the hands of their seniors.

The residents, in turn, have also complained that injustice has been going for a very long time, which has finally pushed them to the edge of taking action,; in an incidents where three resident doctors have been blamed for an alleged medical negligence of seniors.

The Dean of the hospital, Dr T P Lahane, however has implied that the students are trying to divert attention from the matter at hand- a botched up operative complication, which resulted in sending the victim in ICU.

The doctors are now demanding an transfer of Lahane and Parekh, while also seeking a fresh  departmental enquiry concerning lack of surgical training and daily harassment.

“Dr Lahane and Dr Parekh in pursuing their own goals have trampled upon the opportunities and aspirations of many budding ophthalmologists. We demand new faculty in the department to ensure residents are trained according to MCI guidelines,” mentioned MARD in am official letter.

Talking to mid-day, Dr Lahane mentioned how the residents are attempting to shade their own mistakes. “On Monday while attending a patient, these three residents, who pursued the others for the strike, actually committed a mistake due to which the patient developed a heart block and his pulse dropped immediately. He had to be put on pacemaker, which he will have to use for the rest of his life. These three got the wind that an action would be taken against them and to divert the attention came up with the idea of strike,” said Lahane.

He added that the 12 residents did a total of 790 surgeries last year and assisted the seniors for 3000 others, writing off their claims of not being given opportunities to work and learn.