Jr docs strike after IMS resident’s suicide attempt over ‘work stress’

Varanasi: Following incident of junior resident doctor from surgery department of Institute of Medical Sciences (IMS) , BHU attempting suicide with overdose of insulin, junior doctors launched a protest on Tuesday, alleging she made the suicidal bid because of immense work pressure.The PG student, native of Samastipur (Bihar), took overdose of insulin on Thursday and is currently on ventilator support at ICU of the Super Speciality Block at BHU's Sir Sundarlal Hospital. She is under supervision of doctors from medicine, neurology, nephrology, cardiology and critical care departments. Resident doctors alleged their colleague had, for a long time, been under mental pressure time due to excessive workload and behaviour of seniors. The agitated resident doctors warned that if prompt action was not taken in the matter and improvements not made in the work order, they may boycott OPD services. They alleged their colleague was not getting adequate rest and was under considerable stress due to excessive workload. The protesting resident doctors demanded fair investigation be done into the incident, action taken against those guilty and improvements made in schedules and working conditions of resident doctors. They said if the demands was not fulfilled, the agitation would be intensified. IMS director Prof S N Shankhwar said a committee was constituted, chaired by dean of medicine faculty Prof Sanjay Gupta, to investigate the matter. He said action will be taken after the investigation report and appealed to resident doctors to return to work.BHU Vice Chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi visited Shatabdi Super Speciality Block and enquired about the health of the student, directing the doctors to leave no shortcoming in the treatment.