Senior doctors add ammo to quota fire

CITY’S SENIOR doctors including NP Mishra joined the anti-reservation Maha rally to express solidarity with the junior doctors who also prevented entry into the Hamidia hospital by forming a human chain near the main gate.

Hundreds of medical practitioners including junior doctors and medical students of Gandhi Medical College (GMC), members of Indian Medical Association (Bhopal chapter), Indian Dental Association, and private practitioners of the City took part in the rally. It began at around 12 noon from the GTB complex and reached up to the Raj Bhawan.

A delegation submitted a memorandum to Governor Dr Balram Jakhar urging the Union Government to review the decision on reservation.

The memorandum appealed the Centre for a reconsideration into its decision, Dr Hitesh Sharma of the MP Junior Doctors’ Association (MPJDA) told the Hindustan Times.

Many of the rallyists including private practitioners and some junior doctors had covered their mouths as mark of a silent protest against reservation.

However, other protesters were shouting slogans and displaying placards against reservation. Dr Hitesh informed that after the rally, several junior doctors reached Union HRD Minister Arjun Singh’s home in the City and staged protest in front of it.

The anti-reservationists who are on strike for the past 11 days now, are trying to find a mid way so that their stir continued unhindered but at the same time patients don’t suffer .

“ We are planning to revive emergency services in Hamidia hospital for the patients as they are the ones who matter the most to us’’, Dr Hitesh stated.

On May 26, the anti-reservationists of GMC would gather at the People’s Dental College and a joint demonstration would be held there. The junior doctors also plan to stage demonstrations in front of the district court later the same day.

The junior doctors, who were given notice earlier, did not report for duty today. Gandhi Medical College Dean Dr Nirbhay Shrivastava said that very soon direct action would be taken against the striking doctors if they did not resume duty.

MP Junior Doctors Association general secretary Piyush Vyas claimed the agitation was total in all five medical colleges in the State. President of Private hospital Association Dr Rajesh Kanungo said that no patient was checked in the OPDs as the doctors remained off duty.

The emergency services, however, functioned normally, he added. Besides, 600 patients were treated in the OPD of Hamidia hospital, affiliated with Gandhi Medical College.

As many as 104 senior doctors, 62 medical officers and 93 junior doctors belonging to reserved category remained on duty.

First Published: May 26, 2006 13:07 IST