AIIMS Patna doctors' strike over MLA's 'high-handedness' enters 3rd day, all services affected

PATNA: Healthcare services at AIIMS-Patna remained affected for the third consecutive day on Sunday as resident doctors continued their strike against the alleged high-handedness of Sheohar MLA Chetan Anand. Representatives of the Resident Doctors Association (RDA) have called a general body meeting on Sunday to discuss their future course of action. A delegation of the RDA members met with senior officials of the hospital on Saturday as efforts are being made to break the logjam.

"During the meeting, we were given assurances. We demand full transparency and accountability through the immediate public release of the CCTV footage related to the incident. This is essential to ensure truth prevails and justice is served," the RDA said in a statement on Saturday. "The administration assured us of full institutional legal assistance for resident doctors and security staff who have been falsely implicated. The administration also assured us that the process to install CCTV cameras in high-risk areas such as the Trauma Centre, Emergency Department, Labour Room, and ICUs will be initiated within 72 hours," it added.

The RDA said that it was demanding the immediate quashing of the "false FIR" against a doctor. "We demand the invocation of sections of the Arms Act in the investigation, considering the grave threat posed by the presence of weapons in a healthcare setting," it said, adding that the strike will continue "until further notice". Emergency, OPD and other services were affected as a result of the strike. The RDA had earlier alleged, "The MLA, his wife and his armed guards forcibly entered the hospital area, physically assaulted security staff, threatened resident doctors with death and brandished a firearm within hospital premises. A hospital guard was brutally injured, and resident doctors were subjected to threats and abuse inside their own workplace."

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AIIMS Patna violence

Anand, the RJD-turned-JD(U) legislator, had lodged a police complaint, alleging that staffers of AIIMS-Patna misbehaved with him and his wife during a visit to the hospital on Wednesday night. On Thursday, he told PTI that he and his wife were mistreated by hospital staffers when they went to visit a supporter admitted to the facility. "My wife and I went to see one of my supporters admitted at AIIMS on Wednesday night. I was not allowed to enter the hospital with my security guard. This prompted my wife to intervene," he had said.

"At that moment, other staff members came and started misbehaving with my wife. They literally thrashed her. I had to intervene. My wife sustained injuries to her wrist and back. I was also held hostage by the staffers for some time. Finally, we went to the local police station and lodged a complaint," he added. The MLA's mother, Lovely Anand, is the JD(U) MP from the Sheohar Lok Sabha seat. Both sides have filed FIRs in connection with the incident, police said, noting that an investigation is underway.