The meeting between Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan and Central MARD members was fruitful, and resident doctors called off their strike on Tuesday. Central MARD President Dr Avinash Dahiphale said, “We had a meeting with Medical Education Minister Girish Mahajan, and he assured us the creation of 1,432 senior resident doctors’ seats across the state on a priority basis. Funds will be released at the earliest for hostel renovation and new infrastructure for accommodation for resident doctors in medical colleges. After this we decided to resume our services.” The BMC MARD has also called off its members’ mass leave.

The resident doctors’ mass leave had entered its second day on Tuesday. But the heads of department, professors and associate professors did not let patients suffer. This can be gauged from the figures in OPDs and surgeries of patients in civic-run and government hospitals on Tuesday. There were 53 per cent more surgeries and 2 per cent more people in OPDs in major BMC hospitals on Tuesday as compared to Monday (day one of the strike). But many doctors said a few patients were asked to come next week for surgeries that are not so urgent.