Dombivli KDMC hospital doctors resume work after strike over assault by corporator
Doctors at the Kalyan Dombivli Municipal Corporation (KDMC) Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli resumed their duties on Wednesday following a two-day strike. The medical staff had launched the protest to voice their anger over the physical assault of two doctors. The assault was allegedly carried out by Shiv Sena corporator Ramesh Mhatre and his associates.
The decision to call off the protest and return to work came after major legal actions were initiated. The doctors agreed to resume their duties under tight security at the Dombivli facility. This followed the official registration of the final First Information Report (FIR) in the assault case and the commencement of court proceedings against the accused corporator and his men.
During the two-day strike, outpatient department (OPD) services at the municipal hospital were entirely suspended. This disruption forced numerous patients to either postpone their scheduled medical consultations or turn to expensive private healthcare providers for treatment.
As a major government facility, the Shastri Nagar Hospital in Dombivli provides almost all essential healthcare services. The closure of its OPD services caused significant difficulties for local patients, particularly those facing financial limitations who depend on affordable public healthcare.
Local residents expressed immense relief upon the doctors' return to the hospital. Sunita Patil, a Dombivli resident who visited the Shastri Nagar Hospital on Wednesday for her son’s post-operative follow-up, shared the difficulties faced by families during the protest. She noted that for the last two days, patients had to postpone consultations or visit private hospitals. Patil emphasized that because Shastri Nagar Hospital is a big government facility with almost all medical facilities, shutting down the OPD services creates major problems for those with financial limitations. While expressing happiness that the doctors are back, Patil added that they should be able to work without fear as well.
