Noida: OPD, elective services hit as doctors at private hospitals join stir

Patients and their families were left helpless over inaccessibility to medical care at both government and private hospitals in the Greater Noida

Noida: Patients visiting hospitals across Gautam Budh Nagar on Saturday had a difficult time, as the 24-hour strike being observed in solidarity with the alleged rape and murder of a junior woman doctor in Kolkata last week affected elective healthcare services, with many hospitals postponing non-essential surgeries and procedures.

Doctors and patients protest in Gautam Budh Nagar on Saturday. (HT Photo)

Saturday’s strike call for non-emergency services was given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA).

Patients and their families were left irked and helpless as they faced hardship to access medical care at both government and private hospitals in the district, with only emergency services remaining functional on Saturday. At some hospitals, relatives of patients with young children were seen wandering around.

Among the hospitals observing the strike were GIMS, Child PGI, ESIC, Fortis, Felix Hospital, Jaypee, and others.

Tough Time for Patients

Uma Devi, a 71-year-old resident of Tilapta, who visited GIMS, Greater Noida, on Saturday had come to get her heart-related check-up done but was told no doctor was available. “All other tests prescribed have been completed. But now my treatment has been hampered due to the strike,” she said.

Mohit, from Chipyana, brought his mother to GIMS for a check-up but they were asked to go to some other facility. “It is too far for us and we cannot afford to travel back-and-forth so much,” he said.

Meanwhile, Dr Saurabh Srivastava, director, GIMS, clarified: “The resident doctors are participating in the strike to mark the protest as all of us condemn what happened in Kolkata. Emergency cases are being taken up as usual.”

At Child PGI, the hospital’s OPD services remained closed, causing inconvenience to patients who came from far-off places.

Rajesh Kumar visited the Super Speciality Paediatric Hospital and Post Graduate Teaching Institute (SSPHPGTI) due to his son having fever. He said he waited for long before getting an appointment for Saturday. “But now it is all in vain. We reached the hospital early in the morning but were left unattended and helpless due to the strike,” he said.

Medical professionals observe strike

At the Sector-39 district hospital, doctors wore black bands on their arms to protest the incident. A two-minute silence was observed by agitating doctors outside the emergency department.

The ESIC (Employees’ State Insurance Corporation) hospital in Sector 24 of Noida, took out a foot march donning black bands.

“The resident doctors participated in the agitation but the consultant doctors were available on duties and took care of the patients,” said Dr Sona Bedi, deputy medical superintendent, ESIC.

Doctors at CHCs and PHCs also protested by wearing black bands while Gautam Budh Nagar MP Mahesh Sharma also attended a protest meeting organised by IMA Noida in Sector 31.

The private hospitals that participated in the protests included Fortis Hospital, Sharda Hospital, Felix Hospital, Max, and others, where OPDs has been shut from 6am for 24 hours.

“The facility stands in solidarity with IMA and the medical community… However, to ensure that patient care was not compromised, emergency services were functional,” said Ajey Maharaj, head, corporate communications, Fortis healthcare.

“Our outpatient department (OPD) services are temporarily suspended… The heartbreaking and tragic event in Kolkata has deeply affected us all,” said Dr DK Gupta, chairman, Felix hospital.

The strike, however, remained peaceful, with doctors and medical staff gathering outside their respective hospitals to agitate.

“Through the protest, we are demanding improved security for doctors and healthcare professionals and we demand the government to take concrete steps to ensure a secure working environment,” said Sunil Awana, president, IMA Noida.

“All government and private hospitals will resume normal functioning from 6 am on Sunday,” he added.

Meanwhile, across NCR similar scenes were visible in government hospitals for the past week, where medical professionals have been protesting over the Kolkata rape and murder that has channelled outrage. On Saturday, the strike for the first time involved private hospitals as well. This meant that thousands of patients were turned away from OPDs and elective procedures.

Paramjeet Kaur, 37, resident of Burari, came for a liver ailment but was turned away. “On Friday, the doctor asked for some tests and told me to come back today. I’ve been here since 9am. Initially, they said that the doctor will come, but later said he won’t,” said Kaur.

At the Fortis Escorts Heart Institute in Okhla, most doctors turned up for work. Patients said that they had expected that their appointments would be rescheduled, but it was not needed.

Doctors, meanwhile, insisted that their demands are completely necessary and that they are only protesting because they are left with no option.

“We spend 12-13 years of our life to become a specialist doctor only to be raped and murdered? How shocking it is that one is not safe even at their workplace” said Dr Chahat Verma, a 30-year-old resident doctor. “It [the protest] may be for a day, but we have to start somewhere. We can’t sit here doing nothing.”

By 11.30am, protesting had taken several rounds of the hospital and nearby areas. They covered Shankar Road and Old Rajendra Nagar – raising slogans to create awareness about their protest.

Protests were visible at corporate-owned hospitals as well, though the impact was mellow.

At BLK-Max Super Specialty Hospital in west Delhi, a handful of doctors were present in the OPD. There was no demonstration as well.

The spokesperson for Max Health Care that was also partially functioning, said, “…Max Healthcare stands firmly with our doctors and supports those who choose to participate in the Indian Medical Association’s nationwide withdrawal of services…While we respect and support the choices of our doctors, we assure our patients and the community that essential services will remain uninterrupted.”