Nair doctors go on strike after early morning attack on staff

Resident doctors protest at Nair Hospital on Saturday

A second assault on resident doctors at the BYL Nair Hospital within little more than a week resulted in a nearly five-hour stoppage of work by half the doctors at the hospital's Out Patient Department.

They resumed work after being heard out by the Dean who assured them of action against the perpetrators and rearrangement of security to ensure better protection.

On Saturday, at 5 am, a 13-year-old patient, Pawan Patil, who was being treated at the hospital for a month for congenital anomalies (abnormalities from birth), passed away. His relatives then assaulted two residential doctors. On January 3, a resident doctor was slapped by a patient's relative.

On Saturday, Dr Prajwal Chandra and Dr Kartik Asutkar, both first year junior resident doctors, were verbally and physically abused by the relatives. Dr Ramesh Bharmal, dean of Nair hospital, told mid-day that the doctors had informed Pawan's relatives that his condition was serious and gave regular updates about his condition. However, when news of his death broke, the relatives attacked the doctors. The security system, though present, wasn't properly utilised, the doctors have said.

Savalaram Agawane, senior police inspector of Agripada police station, said an FIR had been filed against Pawan's father Dattatray Patil, who would be arrested after the funeral.

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) issued a statement on the attacks, demanding adequate security guards in each ward as a short-term remedy. They demanded an increase in manpower of attendees and ward boys, limiting visiting hours and creating an effective pass system for relatives and councillors.

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