Radiology official held for assaulting doctor; OPD services affected in Jhajjar, Bahadurgarh
Patients and their attendants faced inconvenience as doctors remained unavailable in the OPD
OPD services at the civil hospitals in Jhajjar and Bahadurgarh were affected on Friday after doctors went on a strike following a call given by the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMS) to protest the alleged assault on Dr Vinay Deswal, acting Principal Medical Officer (PMO) at the Bahadurgarh Civil Hospital, by a radiology official yesterday.
Dr Manju Kadian, Civil Surgeon, Jhajjar, said the strike had been called off following the suspension and arrest of the radiology official later in the day.
At the Jhajjar Civil Hospital, patients and their attendants faced inconvenience as doctors remained unavailable in the OPD during the day.
Sarita of Chhara village said she had brought a family member suffering from viral fever to the hospital but could not find a doctor. “We have been waiting for a doctor for the past one hour. The condition of the patient is deteriorating,” she added.
Beer Singh of Dadri Toa village, who was experiencing viral-like symptoms, said he was unable to get medical attention. “I visited the hospital yesterday too, but OPD services had closed by then,” he said.
Rajender of Khatiwas village said he had reached the hospital around 8 am for an ultrasound examination but had been waiting for long. “I submitted my card at the counter in the morning and officials on duty asked me to wait for the doctor. I kept waiting and later came to know that the doctors had gone on a strike,” he said.
Dr Ajay Singhal, Senior Medical Officer at the Civil Hospital, Jhajjar, said alternative arrangements were made to provide services to patients visiting the OPD block, while essential services, including the casualty, labour room, postmortem and Special Newborn Care Unit, continued to function as usual throughout the day.
Dr Piyush Sachdeva, Joint Secretary of the HCMS Association, claimed that Dr Deswal was attacked while he was performing his official duties. The incident created a “kidnapping-like situation” as the doctor was kept confined to a room, he added.
