Kolkata horror: Maharashtra doctors continue stir for 2nd day, elective, OPD services hit

Mumbai, Aug 14 (PTI) Elective procedures and outpatient department (OPD) services at public hospitals in Maharashtra remained affected for the second day on Wednesday due to the ongoing strike by resident doctors launched in support of the nationwide protests by their colleagues against the alleged rape-murder of a postgraduate trainee medico in Kolkata.

The strike caused inconvenience to thousands of patients in Mumbai and other parts of the state.

Maharashtra State Association of Residential Doctors (Central MARD) said resident doctors in state will continue their indefinite strike in absence of any concrete actions or written assurances regarding their demands from authorities.

Resident doctors across Maharashtra went on strike from Tuesday morning in solidarity with nationwide protests against the rape-murder of a postgraduate trainee in Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College on Friday.

Besides expressing solidarity with their colleagues over the horrific incident in Kolkata, the striking resident doctors in Maharashtra have raised their own state-level demands related to safety and hostel accommodation, among others.

"The strike is still on," Dr Pratik Debaje, president, Central MARD, told PTI late in the night.

He said they had meetings with state authorities regarding their demands earlier in the day, but nothing positive came out.

Hence, the residents doctors have decided to continue their indefinite strike in the absence of any concrete actions or written assurances from the state or Union governments regarding their demands, Debaje maintained.

"So far, the government has not issued any statement about (implementing) the Central Healthcare Protection Act. Also, no positive action is visible on probe by the CBI into the matter even after the (Calcutta) High Court's directive," Debaje maintained.

The Central MARD has demanded an impartial and transparent investigation into the Kolkata incident, speedy formation of an expert committee for implementation of the Central Healthcare Protection Act, improved security measures, including fully functional CCTVs and well-equipped guards, quality hostels, and proper on-call rooms for resident doctors.

On the second day of the strike, elective services, including OPDs, operation theatres (OTs) and lab services, at public hospitals remain affected, causing inconvenience to thousands of patients in Mumbai and other parts of the state.

Emergency medical services, however, continued uninterrupted at these hospitals.

An elective procedure is one that can be scheduled in advance because it does not involve a medical emergency. Elective surgeries can include procedures to correct medical problems that are not life-threatening.

As per Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) data, as many as 798 patients underwent treatment at casualty OPDs of KEM, Nair, Cooper and Sion Hospitals (run by the civic body). Also, 3,980 new and 4,875 old (follow-up) patients were treated at regular OPDs and 201 major surgeries and 31 minor ones were performed at civic hospitals.

In Nagpur, doctors staged protests and took out a candle march to express solidarity with their colleagues agitating across the country.

Nearly 400 doctors gathered at the OPD screening area of AIIMS, Nagpur, and strongly condemned the Kolkata incident. The doctors displayed placards and raised slogans demanding swift justice for the victim's family and strict punishment for the culprits.

Doctors also held protests at Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) and Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMCH) in Nagpur.

Meanwhile, in Mumbai, the Maharashtra Association of Bonded Resident Doctors (MABRD), an organisation of senior resident physicians, extended support to the ongoing strike. The association warned its members will also go on an indefinite strike from August 16 if the demands of resident doctors were not fulfilled.

"If issues/demands are unresolved, all bonded/senior residents will stop working in elective services from August 16," a MABRD statement said.

Dr Sagar Dole, president of MABRD, told PTI that they have demanded a ban on sale of alcohol near hospitals and medical college campuses.

The government should limit political and social workers interference in hospital works and set up police outposts inside campuses to ensure safety of doctors, he said. PTI KK CLS RSY