Over 400 junior doctors at Sir JJ Hospital, Mumbai’s largest public hospital, will go on indefinite strike from Sunday morning demanding the removal of Dean Dr TP Lahane and Opthalmology head of department Dr Ragini Parekh, according to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD).
Dr Parmeshwar Satpathy, president, MARD, said “Our colleagues in the department of opthalmology have been facing a tortuous work environment, incessant mental harassment at the hands of the department head, Dr Ragini Parekh, and our dean, Dr TP Lahane. We will go on indefinite mass leave from 10 am on Sunday until our demands are met.”
He said resident doctors at the hospital are not given proper surgical training as per Medical Council of India (MCI) guidelines. “In spite of long duty hours, resident doctors are repeatedly insulted, harassed with unprovoked personal comments about them and their families,” Dr Satpathy said.
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He said the protest was triggered when Drs Lahane and Parekh blamed juniors for complications during recent surgeries. “Two batches of ophthalmology residents have complained and MARD supports them,” he added.