Junior doctors' stir hits patients

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, JULY 23. Long queues of patients in government hospitals were a common sight on Monday with junior doctors in medical colleges in the City and some other parts of the State boycotting work in protest against the non-acceptance of their demands by the Government.

Although measures were being initiated in the major government hospitals in the City to provide adequate medical services, patients were seen waiting outside the out-patient departments for long hours.

A ``parallel'' out-patient department (OPD) was opened by the doctors outside the Victoria Hospital to avoid inconvenience to poor patients.

Dr. L. Chandramma, Medical Superintendent of Bowring Hospital, told The Hindu that medical services to patients had been affected, and work had slowed down due to the boycott. However, steps had been taken to ensure that there was minimum inconvenience, she said.

She said 64 house-surgeons and post-graduates attached to Bowring Hospital had gone on strike. ``We have reduced the `operation list', and priority is being given to emergency cases. The Health Department has sent medical officers to make up for the shortage. Doctors from other departments and nursing staff have been asked to help out. Work is hampered, but we are coping,'' she added.

When contacted, Dr. Chandrashekara, Medical Superintendent, Victoria Hospital, said 300 junior doctors had not reported for work. Doctors from other units in the hospital had been drafted to help out in OPD. Medical services were not affected adversely, according to him.

Around 500 junior doctors from Bangalore Medical College, M.S. Ramaiah Medical College, Kempegowda Institute of Medical Sciences and B.R. Ambedkar Medical College gathered in front of the Victoria Hospital as a mark of protest against the Government's decision to give ``essentiality certificates'' to start new colleges in the State.

`Strike will go on': Dr. Vijaya Kumar H.G., President, Karnataka Junior Doctors' Association, said the doctors would continue the strike until the Government gave a ``positive response'' to their demands. The Indian Medical Association-Karnataka State branch (IMA-K), the Karnataka Government Medical Officers' Association, and the Karnataka State Medical and Dental College Teachers' Association had extended support to junior doctors, he added.

Dr. Talma Narayan, Member of the State Government's Task Force on Health, addressed the doctors and promised support from the task force.

The Medical Service Centre has, in a press release, supported the doctors' demand that the Government stop granting permission to new medical colleges and that it introduce the ``residency scheme''.

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Section  : Southern States
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