Consultants chip in as juniors on protest

Sandeep Rana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, June 17

With no prior intimation to patients about the doctors’ strike and the OPD registration carried out for only two hours, patients, particularly those from neighbouring states, today remained a hassled lot at the Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32.

Senior residents and junior residents were on strike over violence against doctors and only consultants saw patients. The doctors held a protest march from the hospital, which passed through Japanese Garden and Tribune Chowk.

The registration of patients, which started at 7 am, was closed at 9 am, an hour before routine. Generally, 3,000 patients are registered daily at the hospital, but today only 1,500 could be registered. Of them, 1,230 were follow-up cases, while 350 were new cases, said officials.

“It was disappointing as I was given today’s date by the doctor. The hospital should have issued a notice so that patients could have been saved of the inconvenience of travelling here from far-off places,” said Randhir Singh, an attendant of a patient, who came from Ambala.

A perturbed patient questioned, “Attacking doctors is wrong. However, by going on a strike, doctors are harming all patients. Are the authorities going to apply the no work, no pay formula on them too?”

A hospital official said, “Patients who had tests scheduled for today returned empty-handed and disappointed. No CT scan, ultrasound and MRI was done in the OPD. Patients should  have been informed at least through a press note by the authorities”

However, emergency services, including tests, were on.

Dr Siddharth Duggal said, “We held a protest under the umbrella of the IMA. We demand the central protection Act for doctors as violent cases against us are increasing. As many as 75 per cent doctors have faced violence at some point of their lives. Patient rush is increasing and there are less number of doctors.”       

Dr BS Chavan, Director, GMCH, told Chandigarh Tribune, “As many as 1,500 patients were registered. The faculty saw the patients as there was no support from the protesting doctors. Those who had come from other states were seen while locals were requested to come some other day. Since there was no clarity about the protest till late last evening as doctors and the IMA had their negotiations on, we could not inform patients.”