Doctors’ strike at patients’ expense

Barely a month and a half after the reservation strike almost all hospitals in the city were paralysed again on Thursday. AIIMS went on an all-out bandh on Wednesday itself while colleges like UCMS, MAMC and Deen Dayal Upadhyay went on a one-day token strike on Thursday. “We are protesting against the treatment meted out to Dr Venugopal who is one of the best doctors in India,” said Dr Safal Singh .

But, for the patients Thursday proved to be a traumatic experience, as OPD’s of all the above hospitals remained shut. “I have come from Bihar with my 13-year-old daughter who has an acute urinary problem. The emergency wards were shut and when I approached one of the orderlies outside, he brusquely said, ‘When there is no doctor, why do you want to get admitted’ I have been referred to AIIMS, so I do not know where to go now,” said Raj Kumar.

Patients who queued outside the radiotherapy department in need of continuous treatment were turned away. One such patient was Ramjeet (45), a resident of Bihar. The striking doctors did not attend on him on Thursday, his son Mahavir said. He died shortly. So far, two patients have died allegedly due to lack of treatment in AIIMS since Wednesday.