Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Health services continued to be adversely affected in all government hospitals associated with Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College on Tuesday, day two of the strike by resident and junior doctors.
They had gone on strike on Monday in solidarity with the Federation of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA) and their colleagues in West Bengal, to protest against the incident of rape and murder of a resident doctor in RG Kar Medical College in Kolkata.
All the elective surgeries were postponed due to the strike and only emergency surgeries were performed. Similarly, a long queue of patients could be seen in the OPD as only consultants were looking after the patients and they had to see over 100 patients in a couple of hours due to the strike. Meanwhile, the resident doctors and junior doctors also took out a rally from MY Hospital to MGM Medical College before submitting a memorandum to the Dean. The agitating doctors demanded safety and security in the hospitals especially, for the female doctors along with separate duty rooms for them.
“We will continue our protest until we get justice. Our working conditions in government hospitals are pathetic and there is no security. A Kolkata-like incident can be repeated in any of the hospitals in Indore if timely action is not taken,’ president of Residents/Junior Doctors Association Dr Nayan Jain said. He added that they are working in the emergency units as they don’t want any trouble for the patients and hamper their treatment. Meanwhile, the Indian Medical Association-Indore chapter extended its support to the junior doctors and resident doctors along with demanding that the government take necessary actions for stringent security and preventing the incident of violence against the doctors in hospitals.
Patients waiting for getting consultation at MY Hospital OPD |
More than 20 surgeries postponed, only emergency patients admitted
According to MY Hospital staff, more than 20 surgeries were postponed and the doctors performed only emergency services. Similarly, admissions were given only to the patients in emergency, while others were called to get admitted on any other day.
A senior consultant of the medicine department said that they have seen over 200 patients from 9 am to 1 pm as they were handling all the pressure of the OPD. Meanwhile, the patients too faced the ordeal of the strike as they had to wait for hours to get consultation in the hospitals.
