OPDs, emergencies badly hit by doctors’ strike

OPD services in the hospitals across the city were badly hit on Monday due to an indefinite strike of around 20,000 resident doctors. They have been demanding better security at workplaces for long, coupled with adequate life-saving and generic drugs, safe drinking water and timely payment of salaries. 

Though the hospitals across the city claimed to function partially with senior doctors running the OPDs and emergency services, work has been adversely affected in most of the hospitals run by the government and Municipal Corporations.

The patients, who had gone to the hospitals for treatment, claimed no alternate arrangements by the hospital authorities to help them out. The patients and their attendants faced severe problems due to inadequate staff, no proper arrangements for drinking water, sitting space, coolers, and air-conditioners were available. 

They alleged huge rush and confusion as only one doctor was attending to more than 50 patients. The Delhi government, however, claimed that only a few hospitals were affected by the strike. 

Health Minister Satyendra Jain said out of 38 hospitals under the Delhi government only <g data-gr-id="41">few were</g> hit 

by the strike called by resident doctors. He assured that the government would address their issues related to security and facilities at the earliest.

However, one of the doctors on strike said: “The notice for the strike in question was given to the government about 10-12 days ago and the government had not given any satisfactory reply. The doctors have grave concern for the increasing cases of patients’ dissatisfaction.” 

The striking doctors say most of the patients who come to hospitals complained of not getting costly medicines from the hospitals. They said they would continue the strike until the concerned authorities come up with a satisfactory reply.

The doctors at Safdarjung Hospital demanded that the basic facilities for residential doctors needed to be addressed. “There are only 80 hostels available for 1,000 doctors”. 

They also claimed that the continuous working hours for doctors range between 36 and 40 hours. There is a severe crunch of nursing staff to cater to the patients. 

“Medicines to cure dog bites are not available in most of the government hospitals. We receive almost 250 patients <g data-gr-id="43">everyday</g> to cure dog bites alone. The patients rush to Safdarjung Hospital from far and wide to get the medication because it is not available in their nearby hospitals,” said Mohit Garg, senior resident doctor, Orthopaedics.