Patients bear the brunt as doctors boycott OPD, elective surgeries
Though senior doctors did attend to patients already admitted, those seeking admission for surgeries were not able to get in.
A call for 24-hour shutdown of non-emergency services severely crippled healthcare services in the southern and eastern parts of Uttar Pradesh as agitating doctors boycotted outpatient department (OPD) services and elective surgeries.
The strike, which began Saturday 6 am, was called by Indian Medical Association (IMA) as part of the ongoing protests against the rape and murder of a trainee woman doctor in Kolkata.
OPD at SRN disrupted for 6th day
OPD services at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital, an associate institution of MLN Medical College and the biggest government hospital in the region, remained disrupted for sixth day in a row with its resident doctors protesting. Though senior doctors did attend to patients already admitted, those seeking admission for surgeries were not able to get in.
The strike gained momentum with Allahabad Medical Association (AMA) backing the call given by IMA on Friday. Around 100 hospitals and nursing homes in the city are associated with AMA and none offered OPD services. Also, 400 private dental clinics associated with Indian Dental Association wore a deserted look. Electro Homeopathic Association also supported the protesting resident doctors. A candlelight rally was taken out from SRN Hospital to Subhash Crossing in protest against the incident on behalf of AMA on Saturday evening.
A large numbers of patients, especially those from rural areas and neighbouring districts, were seen running from pillar to post to get treated. Patients even struggled to get routine medical tests and x-rays done.
200 surgeries at key hosps rescheduled
A similar situation prevailed in eastern districts of Gorakhpur, Shravasti, Balrampur, Kushinagar and Deoria and in the areas bordering Bihar and Nepal.
Over 200 non-emergency surgeries at Baba Raghav Das (BRD) Medical College in Gorakhpur, All India Institute of Medical Science (AIIMS)-Gorakhpur, Maharishi Devrahva Baba Medical College in Deoria and Basti Medical College had to be postponed due to the strike, officials said.
BRD Medical College principal Raj Kumar said surgeries could not be performed in the absence of technical staff, and OPD services were also largely affected. Resident doctors, who received support from senior residents and nursing staff, wore black ribbons on their hand.
The principal of Maharishi Vashishth Narayan Medical College in Basti, Dr Manoj Kumar, admitted that OPD services were largely hit as many relied on community and primary health centres. He said in-patient services were not affected as nurses were convinced to continue their duties.
In Gorakhpur, over 600 private hospitals, clinics and pathology labs were shut. There, IMA office-bearers took out a candle march as part of their protest. IMA’s Gorakhpur branch secretary Dr Amit Kumar Mishra demanded that hospitals should be declared protected zones. At AIIMS-Gorakhpur, many who came for OPD services were attended to in the emergency ward.