Arvind Kejriwal
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.IANS

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has directed the state health department to implement the demands of the resident doctors in the capital's government hospitals who went on an indefinite strike on Monday.

The various issues raised by them include lack of security and life-saving drugs in hospitals.

"Most demands of striking doctors are genuine. I have directed the health department to implement them. The health department should have resolved it earlier," Kejriwal said in a tweet.

He said the government was committed to providing the best health facilities to the masses which was not possible without the cooperation of the doctors.

Earlier, over 20,000 resident doctors in 25 Delhi government hospitals on Monday went on the strike demanding increased security and life-saving drugs at the hospitals.

The doctors, under the banner of the Federation Of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA), refused to resume work till their demands were met.

FORDA is an association of 25 Delhi-based government hospitals.

Doctors had gone on strike in February too, after which Delhi Health Minister Satyendra Jain had assured them better working conditions.

FORDA had in February urged union Health Minister JP Nadda to address the issues related to security in the city's government hospitals.

The letter was written after four incidents of physical assault by kin of patients at Guru Tegh Bahadur Hospital and Safdarjung Hospital.

The striking doctors said pick-pockets and thieves roamed unchecked in hospital premises, stealing patients' belongings and cash.