The members of Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) at Government Medical College and Hospital at Nagpur (GMCH) has decided to not to render duties in non-emergency healthcare services on Saturday to press for justice for Dr Ashok Pal of Yavatmal. Dr Pal was murdered in the campus of Yavatmal’s Vasantrao Naik Government Medical College.

The Association of State Medical Interns (ASMI) and Students Association of Government Medical College (SAGMC), too, supported MARD in this protest.

Resident doctors of GMCH Nagpur has given a letter along with students association and Interns for joining fight for Justice For Dr Ashok Pal to the authorities. In the letter, MARD has said that all non-emergency services would be withdrawn from Saturday morning.

The MARD said, “Like last strike, the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) where patients suffering from COVID-19 are kept, other ICUs, COVID-19 laboratories, labour room, casualties will be well taken care of. In case of any emergency in non-emergency wards administration should do alternative arrangements.”

MARD has put five demands. They include the culprit of this horrendous incidence be arrested within12 hours maximum and compensation of minimum Rs. 50 lakhs should be provided by Government to family of Dr Ashok Pal.

Deploy 1 guard belongs to Maharashtra Security Force (MSF) per ward to ensure safety of doctors and hospital staff that work and stay in the wards, pointed out MARD.

The resident doctors further asked for allowing only 1 relative be allowed with the patient at a time. A strict pass system be implemented to ensure only identified and noted people enter the hospital premises.

On several occasions, the people from outside use the road in the medical colleges to go somewhere else. This trespassing increases the traffic inside the premises unnecessarily. MARD has demanded to have strict checking at entry gates of every person entering GMCH campus. During the investigation of murder of Dr Pal, it was revealed that the CCTV cameras were not working. MARD said that 24x 7 working CCTV cameras and street lights in the whole campus with minimum blind spots should be installed.