TIRUVANNAMALAI : Over 100 doctors attached to Tiruvannamalai Medical College Hospital (TMCH) are on a strike demanding action against the members of disabled association for locking up a doctor inside a room at the collectorate.
The doctors demanded the authorities concerned to invoke section 48 of TNHP Act 2008 against the culprits. They also threatened to launch state-wide protest. The protesters, including practising civil surgeons, said there was no security for government doctors. They staged a sit-in protest in front of the hospital. Only patients admitted to ICU, CCU and emergency care units were attended to.
The issue propped up on Monday while one Dr R Ragavanandham atwas on duty at the collectorate to issue travel concession certificates to persons with the disabilities.
As the doctor refused to issue concession certificate to a few persons, office bearers of disabled association picked up a quarrel with the doctor.
When the argument heated up, a group of nearly 35 persons locked the doctor up inside the room around 2.30 pm and held a sit-in protest in front of it, demanding action against him. When the doctor swooned at 7.30 pm, he was taken to hospital and the protest was withdrawn.
“Due to suffocation and low blood pressure the doctor swooned inside the room. We want those who had locked the doctor to be booked under TN Hospital Protection Act, 2008,” Dr Senthil Kumar, President of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA) told Express.
He added that the police had failed to take any action against those who had locked up the doctor for nearly five hours. He also said, the doctors would not issue any more concession certificates without police protection.