BENGALURU: All medical services in the state, except emergency care, will be hit from 6 am on Saturday to Sunday 6 am in view of doctors joining the nationwide strike called by IMA to protest against the rape and murder of a PG student at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata and the attack on students agitating there on Wednesday.
The strike that began on Monday was confined to government hospitals. But from Saturday, services in private and government hospitals will be affected with doctors from both sectors deciding to back the IMA call. Medical services, including OPDs, elective surgeries, and modern medicine will be affected.
On Friday, Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao said there will be no inconvenience to patients as essential services and emergency departments will function as usual. Senior medical officials, however, said that hospitals will be under pressure as services offered by OPDs will be suspended.
Meanwhile, the health department said that all district health and family welfare officers, district surgeons, and hospital administrative officers have been instructed to ensure continuous emergency medical services. No leave will be granted to doctors to prevent any interruption in emergency care, it stated in its order.
A senior doctor from Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute (BMCRI) said that around 2,500 people would visit the institute’s OPDs daily. Of them, around 500 would get admitted. With the suspension of medical services, these patients will be affected.
The Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association (PHANA) - Karnataka, wrote to its doctors and other staff members on Friday stating that the association will back the IMA’s strike call.
As healthcare providers, PHANA condemns the increasing violence against medical professionals. PHANA, in solidarity with IMA, calls for stronger laws and their strict enforcement to prevent violence against healthcare professionals, and enhanced security in healthcare facilities, the letter stated.
MP backs docs’ demand
Bengaluru Rural MP and cardiologist Dr CN Manjunath visited the Freedom Park on Friday and spoke to members of the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD), who have launched an agitation demanding that their stipend be increased and medical college fees be reduced.