Hard times for patients as docs decide to skip emergency duties

Hyderabad: Huge queues at the outpatient counter, long waiting time to consult doctors, a slowdown in the number of elective surgeries are staring in the faces of thousands of patients who would be going to the government hospitals in the state as junior doctors from Osmania, Gandhi, Niloufer and Kakatiya Medical College following their decision to boycott emergency duties indefinitely in protest against the passage of NMC Bill.

It may be recalled that the patients had suffered on Tuesday when the doctors had gone on one-hour strike. If they go on indefinite strike, the patients who come faraway places will be worst affected said some of the attendants of the patients.

Meanwhile, Superintendents of each hospital reviewed the situation. According to them they had taken alternative measures like deputing all teaching faculty, including professors on duty in hospitals to overcome the problem.

With Post-Graduate doctors mostly manning the OP and ward duties besides working in emergency and casualty wards in all the major teaching hospitals, their absence will be a challenge for respective hospital administrations to avoid inconvenience to patients visiting in thousands every day.

Director of Medical Education Dr Ramesh Reddy stated that instructions have been given to hospital superintendents to prepare a contingency plan and ensure that emergency services do not get affected.

Junior doctors from Osmania and Gandhi medical colleges announced their sudden decision to go on an indefinite boycott of duties on Thursday from 2 pm.

Their colleagues (resident doctors) from AIIMS, New Delhi took decision to boycott emergency duties from Thursday. Telangana Junior Doctors Association had served a strike notice to DME Dr K Ramesh Reddy. Junior doctors at Gandhi also went on a hunger strike within hospital premises to let their voice heard.

Meanwhile, patients from Gadwal, Suryapet, Medak and other districts, who reached Gandhi Hospital for follow up consultations and treatment were caught unawares about the junior doctors' strike and had to wait for long to get treated. Some of them commented that they had no idea about the present developments.

Osmania Superintendent Dr Nagender said that he convened a meeting with all HoDs in the afternoon wherein it was decided to utilize the services of all teaching faculty in OP and IP services.

Osmania Superintendent Dr Nagender said that HoDs have decided during a meeting to utilise the services of all teaching faculty in out-patients and in-patient services.

He said that the two doctors would be posted in the emergency ward per each shift from Friday onwards as against the regular practice of one doctor who will be assisted by the PG doctors.

Gandhi Superintendent Dr Sravan Kumar has given instructions to all teaching faculty, who are on leave to return and be available for duty for the next few days in view of junior doctors' strike.