Samuel Golubchuk, 84, has been on life support with minimal brain function at the Grace Hospital since last fall. (Family photo)Three doctors have now resigned from duty at a Winnipeg hospital rather than obey a court order to continue treating an elderly man on life support.

Samuel Golubchuk,84, has been on life support with minimal brain function at the Grace Hospital since last fall. Doctors at the hospital wanted to take Golubchuk off life support, but Golubchuk's relatives have argued that would violate his beliefs as an Orthodox Jew.

In February, a judge ordered the hospital to continue treating Golubchuk until a trial can be held in mid-September. A few weeks ago, Dr. Anand Kumar resigned from caring for Golubchuk, saying in a letter that he felt keeping the elderly man alive was "tantamount to torture."

CBC News has learned that two other doctors — Bojan Paunovic and David Easton — have also said they will no longer care for Golubchuk.

"What I can tell you is that there are three critical care doctors who have recently resigned from the [intensive care unit] shift schedule at the Grace Hospital," said Heidi Graham, spokeswoman for the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority. The WRHA is working with other physicians to ensure the hospital can continue to provide critical care despite the loss of the three doctors, Graham said.

The lawyer for the Golubchuk family is not commenting at this time.