Doctors to boycott OPDs, skip elective surgeries today as well

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Shimla, August 19

The continuing doctors’ protest over the rape and murder of a resident doctor in Kolkata is threatening to turn into a major health crisis in the state. Having boycotted the OPD services and elective surgeries over the last couple of days, Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA) and the faculty of medical colleges, including IGMC, Shimla, have decided to skip these services tomorrow as well.

The resident doctors associations, who are spearheading the protest, were the first to boycott OPD and elective OT services and are continuing their protest, demanding justice for the victim and safer and secure work environment for themselves.

“We understand patients are being inconvenienced, but we have kept the emergency services rolling. The Supreme Court is hearing the matter tomorrow, so maybe some solution will emerge tomorrow,” said a HMOA president Dr Rajesh Rana.

While deciding to stay unavailable for OPD and elective surgeries tomorrow, the IGMC faculty has also decided to take out a silent protest march from the IGMC to Secretariat to hand over their demand charter to the authorities. The faculty has also threatened to scale up their protest and take a mass casual leave in case the demands put forth by the protesting doctors were not met.

The resident doctors at the IGMC continued their protest and demanded the arrest of the culprits at the earliest. “Our colleague has not got justice yet. Her culprits should be arrested and hanged,” said the protesting doctors. “Also, the Central Protection Act should be made stringent and implemented at the earliest for the safety of the doctors. Only yesterday, a man climbed up the girl’s hostel of the IGMC. It shows how badly we need to strengthen security in hospital and hostels,” said another doctor.