Junior doctors give up stir, resume duty in Telangana

Junior doctors at state-run Gandhi Hospital, who struck work from June 9 in protest against attack on a doctor by kin of a deceased COVID-19 patient and over ir demands, including decentralisation of coronavirus patients' treatment, resumed duty on Friday after health minister E Rajender's assurance to address grievances.

Gandhi hospital Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) president Lohith Reddy told PTI that y have resumed duty.

"Keeping public health in consideration, especially in view of pandemic we are fighting and trusting ministers reassuring words, JUDA has decided to conditionally call off strike and resume duties with immediate effect," Association said in a release.

manment of SARI (Severe Acute Respiratory Infections) and treatment of symptomatic COVID-19 patients would be decentralized and provision made for treating of such cases in respective district hospitals and all private medical colleges, it said.

minister assured that recruitment of Special Protection Force (SPF) as per a previous Government Order was underway and would be provided soon in all government medical colleges/hospitals, release said.

As discussed with minister, JUDA would form a committee, which would follow up with him regularly (through video conferencing) for next 15 days, on updates of ir demands, it said.

junior doctors began ir agitation on Tuesday night following an attack on a duty doctor by kin of a deceased COVID-19 patient.

Two people who allegedly assaulted doctor have been arrested, a police official said on Wednesday.

Minister, who condemned attack, had held talks with junior doctors and assured that ir problems would be resolved.

y, however, continued ir agitation on Thursday.

As Gandhi hospital is only government hospital where COVID-19 patients are treated, junior doctors wanted it to be decentralized, allowing or hospitals in state also to treat patients.