Arunachal: Docs call off protest following assurance from minister | EastMojo
Itanagar: The Indian Medical Association-Arunachal Pradesh (IMA-AP) has called off their ongoing protest against the alleged physical assault on a doctor in Naharlagun recently, following a written assurance by the state’s health minister to address their grievances.
The IMA-AP and the Arunachal Pradesh Doctors’ Association (APDA) had, on Wednesday, announced a two-day statewide strike on May 7 and 8 in protest against the alleged act of violence against a doctor and vandalism at the Samaritan Hormin Hospital in Naharlagun.
The incident took place on Monday, following the death of a female patient who had undergone minor knee surgery.
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The state’s medical fraternity had, however, later announced they would curtail the strike to a day.
The IMA-AP had again on Friday announced to carry on with the protest. They also threatened to launch the second phase of agitation in a more intensified manner if the culprits aren’t arrested within the next 10 days.
Addressing media persons on Saturday, IMA-AP president Lobsang Tsetim said: “We (doctors) are constantly trying to upgrade our services, and we being humans as well, mistakes are bound to happen. We are no God, and we also sympathise and empathise with our patients.”
Dr Tsetim said in case of medical negligence people, can take legal action, however, physically assaulting the doctors or vandalising hospitals are not signs of a civilised society.
IMA-AP general secretary Jego Ori said that they received a written assurance from the state government, wherein it assured to book the person(s) involved in the incident.
“We will closely monitor the assurance given by the state government and will decide on the future course of action accordingly. As of now, all the services of government and private medical establishments within the Itanagar Capital Region will resume as normal in the public interest,” he added.
Dr Ori also informed that a notification was served to the entire medical fraternity falling under the aegis of the IMA-AP to resume their respective responsibilities.
Health Minister Alo Libang appealed to the doctors to resume their duties. “The state government was committed to providing a safe and conducive atmosphere to medical professionals at their workplace where they can discharge their duties without any fear or duress,” said Libang in a letter.
“The law enforcing agencies would book the culprits under appropriate sections of the Arunachal Pradesh Medical Professional and Medical Institution Protection Act 2019, and justice would be delivered at the earliest,” Libang added in his letter.