Boycott outpatient services

Kalwa: Over 100 resident doctors from Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Hospital in Kalwa staged a protest on Monday, decrying the lack of security at the hospital in the wake of a junior doctor's death at a Kolkata hospital last week. While the doctors are boycotting outpatient services, they continue to provide emergency and casualty care.

Dr. Shubham Agarwal, one of the protesting doctors, stated that the protest will persist until adequate security measures are implemented. Dr. Sachin Patil, President of the Central Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors, expressed frustration, noting that previous meetings with medical authorities had failed to produce effective solutions.

Despite the hospital dean, Rakesh Barot, requesting 140 security personnel, only 85-90 have been deployed, a number deemed insufficient by the protesting doctors. The Indian Medical Association has thrown its support behind the protest, emphasizing the urgent need for enhanced security for medical staff across the country.

The protest also follows a recent incident at CSM Kalwa Hospital, where two relatives of a patient assaulted a resident doctor due to the unavailability of an ICU room. A legal case has been filed against the perpetrators under various provisions.