Mumbai: Doctors continue strike for 3rd day; patients, relatives suffer

Mumbai: As doctors continue to abstain from work across major civic hospitals in Mumbai, thousands of patients have been left to suffer and go through a lot of inconvenience at public hospitals.

The doctors on strike have been served an ultimatum that they would lose 6 months' pay if they do not resume work by 8 pm on Wednesday. BMC has also served notice to 1400 government doctors.

Surgeries have been cancelled and patients are being turned away from Out Patient Departments (OPD).

"Mass leave is creating a lot of problems, patients cannot be left alone. Doctors should abide by their duties. It is not considerate," said a relative of a patient in Mumbai.

"My wife is suffering burn injuries and it's been four days now. She is not being treated," relative of one of the patients outside Sion Hospital told ANI.

An old man, who had suffered a stroke and was sent back after basic treatment, said, "We have undergone some tests. But there are no doctors. We have been called back after two days."

Meanwhile, the Bombay High Court will today hear the junior doctors' mass leave matter.

The High Court yesterday asked the doctors to resume their duties immediately.

The court came heavily on the protesting doctors and asked its representative body the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) to ask all doctors to resume their duties immediately else it would be contempt of court as the doctors organisation has given an undertaking that it would not go on strike.

The court also directed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis-led government and the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to provide adequate security to doctors in all hospitals all over Mumbai and Maharashtra.

The doctors are on strike due to the recent incidents of violence against them.

This protest comes in the wake of attack on one of the doctors by a patient's relatives earlier on Saturday.