Doctors’ strike likely to be called off on Friday
BENGALURU: The out-patient department (OPDs) services in private hospitals across the state may be affected for a few hours on Friday in protest against the recent alleged assault on a student by Karnataka Rakshana Vedike activists at Minto Eye Hospital here. The protest by doctors is likely to be called off after the KRV activists announced late on Thursday evening that they will surrender before the city police commissioner at 11 am on Friday.KRV state chief Narayana Gowda told TNIE, “We have decided to surrender because the strike should not affect the poor.”
Will meet BMCRI dean, says IMA chief
“We went to Minto hospital only to demand compensation to those who lost eyesight recently. We did not assault the doctors as alleged by them. Our group of 15 people, including actor Ashwini Gowda, are surrendering before the police and face legal action,” KRV state president Narayana Gowda, said.
Speaking to TNIE, Dr Madhusudhan Kariganur, President of IMA state branch, said that once the KRV activists surrender, the protest should be called off. “We will have a meeting with the dean and director of Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute(BMCRI) and decide on the future course of action.”
Earlier in the day, the Indian Medical Association-Karnataka branch had announced its support to the 24-hour shutdown of the outpatient departments in private hospitals across the state, but said it will not apply to government hospitals. Also, although the OPDs in private hospitals will be shut, emergency cases, scheduled surgeries, deliveries and trauma cases will be attended to by the hospital staff.
The 24-hour shutdown of OPDs was decided upon after junior doctors received no help from the police or the government authorities on action against pro-Kannada activists who assaulted a PG student at Minto Eye Hospital following alleged botched cataract surgeries. The authorities even failed to provide the hospital with extra security, after which the junior doctors and students from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute(BMCRI) decided to close down the out-patient services for 24 hours starting 6 am on Friday.
On Thursday, Dr S Srinivas, State Secretary of Indian Medical Association branch announced in front of the junior doctors and students that the protest will be staged state-wide. The Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Association (PHANA) has also extended support to Friday’s strike. Doctors at the government-run Victoria Hospital held a candlelight march in the hospital campus where doctors from across the city joined them.