Daijiworld Media Network – Panaji

Panaji, Jun 11: The strike planned by doctors at Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMC&H) was called off late Tuesday after Chief Minister Dr Pramod Sawant personally visited the campus and agreed to all seven of their demands, including measures to curb VIP culture and enhance security.

The doctors had been protesting Health Minister Vishwajit Rane’s public rebuke of Dr Rudresh Kuttikar at the GMC casualty ward during a surprise visit. While they initially demanded a personal apology from Rane at the ward, they later agreed to accept a formal apology conveyed through official channels.

Sawant assured the doctors of several reforms, including banning videography in patient care areas, posting a police sub-inspector and 50 additional police personnel on campus, and forming a vigilance committee to address such incidents.

While services at the hospital remained unaffected, the united doctors’ group stated that Rane lacked the “grace” to apologise in person. Despite this, they agreed to call off the strike in the larger interest of patients across Goa.