Junior doctors of King George Hospital, the teaching hospital of Andhra Medical College, called off their three-day old strike on Thursday after being assured of additional security in the hospital wards.
The strike was called off late in the afternoon after Director of Medical Services T. Raviraju assured them through Superintendent of KGH M.V.R.J. Somayajulu of providing 60 private security guards immediately in two shifts. Thirty of them would be on night duty every day while the rest would be engaged according to the choice and need of the junior doctors. Earlier, the administration decided to engage 30 security guards from Thursday as an emergency measure before making a final decision. Though the junior doctors initially insisted on 90 security guards, they relented after the DMS intervened. They would resume duties from Friday.
The junior doctors went on a flash strike after family member and relatives of a patient allegedly attacked them after the patient died. Medical care to the patients suffered due to the strike by junior doctors. On Thursday they took out a protest procession and senior doctors also expressed their support to the junior doctors. Patients who needed emergency care and who could afford cost of treatment in private hospitals left KGH during the last two days.
