OPD services in Bengaluru hospitals largely suspended amid nationwide doctors strike over Kolkata tragedy: Report

Doctors in Bengaluru halted OPD services on Saturday as part of a nationwide strike, protesting the Kolkata rape-murder.

Outpatient services at hospitals across Bengaluru were halted on Saturday as doctors participated in a nationwide strike to express solidarity with the victim of the Kolkata rape-murder case and to demand stronger laws to protect healthcare professionals from violence, the Deccan Herald reported.

Resident doctors and medical students staged a protest against the Kolkata case, in Bengaluru on Saturday. (PTI)(HT_PRINT)

Doctors held demonstrations throughout the city, both within hospital premises and outside, carrying placards and posters. They called for an immediate investigation into the Kolkata incident, the enactment of a Central Act to ensure the safety and security of healthcare workers, and the enhancement of security measures in hospitals and medical colleges nationwide.

Despite the suspension of OPD services, emergency services and scheduled surgeries continued without disruption, the report noted. Patients who arrived for routine check-ups, unaware of the strike, were redirected to emergency wards or informed of the situation, with many choosing to leave. Some hospitals reported an increased number of patients in their emergency wards.

Numerous private hospital doctors gathered at Freedom Park for a protest, while resident doctors, under the banner of the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD), organized a motorized road rally, the report further stated.

Doctors from various government and private hospitals, along with members of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) Karnataka branch, PHANA, and other organizations, also took out a march till the IMA state branch office in Chamarajpete area.

During the protest, Dr. Madhushankar L, President of the IMA's Bengaluru Branch, spoke to reporters and emphasised the need to declare hospitals as safe zones. He advocated for the establishment of police outposts in every medical college and the installation of 24/7 CCTV monitoring.

Several doctors also highlighted the importance of providing adequate facilities for those on duty. Dr. Krupa, National Co-Convener for the IMA Medical Student Network, also spoke to the publication, pointing out that the location of washrooms far from work areas increases the risk of incidents at night. Another doctor, a gynecologist, stated, that doctors don't fear death, but that they do fear rape. She emphasized that the strike was crucial for raising public awareness and garnering empathy for the cause.