Mumbai: Around 135 patients have died in three big civic-run hospitals in the city due to absence of emergency services caused by resident doctors on an agitation to demand for more security at hospitals.
Across Maharashtra, 377 patients have been reported dead as the strike entered the fifth day.
A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) lawyer told the Bombay High Court Friday that 34 patients have died in Nair Hospital, 53 in King Edward Memorial Hospital and 48 in Lokmanya Tilak Municipal General Hospital, also known as Sion Hospital.
During the last five days, out-patients departments have been closed though emergency services were handled by senior doctors. The BMC runs 16 peripheral hospitals and four major hospitals where over 1,800 patients are admitted daily.
However, Dr Yashowardhan Kabra, President of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD), said the figures for the number of deaths is not correct since emergency services are working and the numbers are far less. A health official also said that overall there are 15-20 deaths of patients daily in the public hospitals in Mumbai. Most of the deaths are due to critical illnesses and severe injuries in accidents.
Kabra also said that doctors are protesting and staying away from work on their individual decision, and that MARD, as per the court’s directives, has sent out a circular asking and trying to convince the doctors to resume work.
The Indian Medical Association called off its strike after the high court’s order stated that if doctors do not return to work, punitive action would be taken against them by the government and BMC.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis appealed to doctors again to return to work and said security has been already provided in 16 hospitals since Thursday and the government is working on providing more security in 10 days.
