Patna, Dec 4 (IANS) The 48-hour strike by junior doctors at Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Bihar’s largest government hospital, ended on Thursday evening after the Patna district administration assured them of enhanced security inside the hospital premises.

PMCH Principal Dr Kaushal Kishore confirmed that all junior doctors resumed duty at 5 p.m.

He said the strike was called off after district officials assured them of strict security arrangements in the backdrop of Wednesday’s violent incident.

As per the district administration’s orders, Bihar Police personnel have now been deployed at the main entrance of the PMCH emergency ward and other key points, which has helped restore confidence among the junior doctors and other staff.

On Wednesday, chaos broke out in the PMCH emergency ward after the death of 70-year-old patient Suresh Singh, a resident of Sultanganj. He had been admitted to PMCH three days earlier after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

His family alleged that he did not receive timely and proper treatment, leading to his death. Enraged, they allegedly assaulted the junior doctors present in the emergency ward. Doctors, in their complaint, claimed that the patient’s family became violent and even assaulted a female doctor on duty.

The hospital administration stated that several medical staff members sustained injuries during the scuffle and that the situation spiralled out of control for some time.

In protest and demanding security, the junior doctors immediately halted work, which led to the suspension of OPD services and severe disruption across the emergency and outpatient departments.

Thousands of patients had to return without treatment, and many serious cases could not be admitted, resulting in large-scale chaos on the hospital campus and heavy inconvenience for attendants.

Meanwhile, the family of the deceased also alleged that they were assaulted by the junior doctors and hospital staff. The deceased’s son, Aman Singh, alleged that trouble began during an ECG examination on Wednesday when his sister asked a doctor about their father’s condition.

According to Aman, the doctor became enraged at the query. Aman alleged that the doctor verbally abused him, called him “stupid”, pushed him, and even snatched his iPhone, escalating tensions further.

Both sides have lodged separate FIRs at the Pirbahore police station. The matter is currently under investigation, and statements from multiple witnesses are being recorded, officials said.

With police deployment in place and talks between the administration and hospital authorities continuing, services at PMCH are gradually returning to normal, with OPD and emergency functioning being restored step by step.

–IANS

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