Kolkata rape-murder case: U.P. resident docs continue protests
Resident doctors in Uttar Pradesh protested and abstained from work over a Kolkata lady doctor's alleged rape and murder, impacting OPD services and patient counts.
Resident doctors in several districts of Uttar Pradesh staged protests and abstained from work at medical institutes that conducted OPD and patient count remained low even at government hospitals on Monday—the eighth day of nationwide protest against alleged rape and murder of a lady doctor in Kolkata.
Resident doctors at Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS), Lucknow, staged a protest in front of the director office and kept themselves away from all work related to OPD, elective surgery, ward duty and teaching work.
They took part in protest and street play to highlight the plight of resident doctors and risk they face while at workplace. In the evening, they took out a candlelight march on campus. At some places, the resident doctors observed “Black Raksha Bandhan”. The emergency services at RMLIMS were running and supported by resident doctors.
The resident doctors in a press statement said on Tuesday a peaceful gathering, street play and formation of human chain will mark protest while in the evening, they will light candles at 1090 crossing in Lucknow. King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, had OPD closed for festival and so the OPDs at other state-run medical colleges were closed.
Protests were also reported from different medical institutes in state. At Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi, the resident doctors sat in the OPD area to protest while in Jalaun, the resident doctors tied black bands on hands of one another as a mark of protest.
{{/usCountry}}Protests were also reported from different medical institutes in state. At Maharani Laxmi Bai Medical College, Jhansi, the resident doctors sat in the OPD area to protest while in Jalaun, the resident doctors tied black bands on hands of one another as a mark of protest.
{{/usCountry}}Monday being a holiday, only serious or critical patients came to emergency wings and were attended by doctors. t the government hospitals in state capital, patient footfall was low due to festival. The OPD was conducted between 8 am and 12 noon.
{{/usCountry}}Monday being a holiday, only serious or critical patients came to emergency wings and were attended by doctors. t the government hospitals in state capital, patient footfall was low due to festival. The OPD was conducted between 8 am and 12 noon.
{{/usCountry}}The Lok Bandhu hospital that gets on an average 2500 patients on usual days registered around 400 patients in the OPD. “It was due to festival that there were fewer patients but from tomorrow, the OPD will run full-fledged and the footfall is likely to go over 3,000,” said Dr Ajai Shankar Tripathi, medical superintendent of the hospital. The Balrampur government hospital got a little over 1,000 patients while the regular OPD goes over 4,000.
{{/usCountry}}The Lok Bandhu hospital that gets on an average 2500 patients on usual days registered around 400 patients in the OPD. “It was due to festival that there were fewer patients but from tomorrow, the OPD will run full-fledged and the footfall is likely to go over 3,000,” said Dr Ajai Shankar Tripathi, medical superintendent of the hospital. The Balrampur government hospital got a little over 1,000 patients while the regular OPD goes over 4,000.
{{/usCountry}}“We will not cease our efforts until adequate measures are implemented to safeguard the lives and well-being of healthcare professionals,” said Dr Hardeep Jogi, president, Resident Doctors’ Association Trust (RDAT).
The RDAT is a body of over 4,000 resident doctors in Uttar Pradesh. It conducted a meeting of its office-bearers and decided to continue the strike. They also discussed the steps that the Centre has announced for doctors’ protection at the work place, including setting up an action committee.
“This fails to inspire confidence and trust among the medical fraternity. We have witnessed similar committees being formed in the past, with no significant progress made or relevant legislation passed to ensure the safety of healthcare workers,” said a press statement issued by the RDAT.
