Junior doctors at Hyderabad's Osmania Government Hospital (OGH) postponed their strike, that was set to resume on Thursday evening, after a meeting with the Director of Medical Education (DME).
The junior doctors were irked that the state government had met none of its promises, and did not even step up security at the premises of the OGH.
“We were afraid if it was just going to be another false promise but the DME showed us the steps and orders given for security. We are willing to wait for one more week to see a change,” said Sai Kiran, a junior doctor, told Deccan Chronicle.
After the meeting, the junior doctors agreed to give the state government one week's time.
The junior doctors had been on an indefinite strike since Sunday night, after four attendants of a woman patient, who died during treatment, assaulted two junior doctors at OGH.
Nearly 250 junior doctors, including house surgeons, boycotted their duties except emergency services, demanding action against those involved in the attack and measures to beef up their security.
The strike was causing severe inconvenience to patients in one of the oldest hospitals in the country, with services in outpatient blocks remaining paralysed.
The junior doctors lodged a complaint with Afzalgunj police station demanding the arrest of the accused under non-bailable sections.
Following the complaint, the deceased woman's son was arrested, but doctors are not satisfied.
“Although we lodged a police complaint within hours of the incident, the daughter of the deceased woman is going scot free. We want the matter to reach the higher authorities if action is not taken by the Afzalgunj police," Vijayender, president of Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA), told TOI.
The strike was called by the TJUDA to protest against the rising number of attacks on medicos, saying this was the fourth incident at OGH in one month.
They called off their strike on Tuesday, after an assurance from the state and authorities of the Health Department.
Doctors are now demanding CCTV cameras across the hospital and an 'emergency alarm' button that the medicos could press, to call for security.
They're also asking for 18 armed Special Protection Forces (SPF) personnel to be present at nine sensitive areas of the hospital premises.