After the state government assured them of introducing a relevant Bill regarding their safety and revising suspension of some of their colleagues,around 500 junior doctors of the Ahmedabad Civil Hospital called off their strike as it entered the fifth day today. After hectic parleys between the hospital authorities and representatives of Junior Doctors Association (JAD),the latter were allowed to meet Principal Secretary (Medical Services and Medical Health,Rajesh Kishore,in Gandhinagar. The health secretary has told us that a draft of Doctors Protection Bill is ready and it will be tabled in the Assembly at the earliest, Dr Hiren Patel,President of JAD,told The Indian Express. Dr Patel further said the 500 resident doctors,who are first and second year medical students,have rejoined their duty at the Civil Hospital. Confirming the development,Dr MM Prabhakar,Superintendent of Civil Hospital,said,All the doctors have joined duty and suspension of all the 11 doctors will be revised. The superintendent further said,To strengthen security of doctors till relevant decision is taken by state government,we have deployed 40 additional security guards on the hospital complex. The deadlock ended after senior faculty members of B J Medical College reportedly intervened and persuaded Civil Hospital authorities to allow the striking doctors to meet state health officials. Despite repeated attempts,the health secretary could not be reached for comments. Around 750 doctors had gone on an indefinite strike on Saturday after relative of a patient allegedly slapped a junior doctor. The doctors demanded that a special Bill be introduced in Assembly providing security for them. In a release,the Junior Doctors Association issued an apology to Dr Prabhakar and Dr H P Bhalodia,Dean of Students at B J Medical College,and thanked them for their support during the strike. However,the hospital authorities declared the strike illegal and suspended 11 doctors. The doctors had threatened to resign en mass but the superintendent warned them their resignations would be forwarded to Gujarat University and their career may jeopardise. On Monday,around 230 students of third year resumed their duty since their exams starts from April 1 and the strike seemed to fizzle out. However,it was resurrected on Tuesday when 260 junior doctors of VS and Shardaben hospitals went on a one-day token strike to extend their support to JAD. In last September,the doctors had gone on similar indefinite strike complaining unhygienic condition on the hospital complex. The issue had reached even in the Gujarat High Court which had set a committee to look into the issue.
