The protest at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) crippled the health services on the second day as well leaving patients and their family members in a dilemma. Several social organizations, political parties’ youth wing leaders including patients’ family members staged massive protest on Sunday against RIMS administrative wing for this muddle as no department, be it Neonatology or Surgery or Out Patient Department (OPD) admitted patients, even serious accident cases were referred to other hospitals till late evening.
Due to the indefinite strike called by RIMS junior nurses’ association members, para medical staffs including junior doctors over the issue of manhandling and misbehavior with the two members of RIMS medical fraternity on June 1, the hospital functioning remained at halt till Sunday evening.
A few people who sat on protest outside RIMS stated that despite requesting the staffs to attend patients, no one ever paid heed to the issue terming the situation at RIMS a sheer failure of government machinery in managing the services here at the biggest government owned hospital.
“Forget about the daily routine, even serious patients are not being attended by the nurses. Doctors do come for the round but they too are helpless like us. My father was suppose to get injection and saline water but since no nurse is here, he is just lying on the bed,” said Joyonto Mukherjee whose father, Pankaj Mukherjee is admitted at ICU since past one week.
With every passing day, the situation at RIMS is getting bad to worse especially for those underprivileged families who come to RIMS with a hope to get quality health care services, quoted a patient family member who was compelled to take his relative to a private hospital. Similarly, another suffer, Tribhuvan Ram said that he is in a constant fear of losing his relative after June 2 incident as neither doctors nor nurses have turned up since last 24 hour to check the condition of patient who requires immediate medical attention.
Besides, the protest of public whose family members are admitted at RIMS, representative of various social organizations, political parties youth wing leaders gathered on the premises of RIMS to stage protest against the State government.
Members of JVM -P youth wing, representatives of BJP’s youth wing ABVP protested against the hospital staffs whose sheer negligence created trouble for those who do not have anything to do with the issue of doctors, nurses and have unnecessary fallen prey to such pity politics.
Furthermore, according to the sources, members of ABVP attacked the residence of Minister, Department of Health and Family Welfare on Sunday afternoon to register their protest. Members of Congress Committee Women Wing as well burnt effigy of State Government persons as a mark of protest. JMM representatives too wrote to Governor, Draupadi Murmu on Sunday making her aware about the current scenario of RIMS.
Meanwhile, on the second day of protest, junior doctors and nurses remained united. RIMS Nurses Association Head, Ram Rekha Rai stated that their demands are genuine and have support of all staffs.
Similarly, a representative of RIMS Junior Doctor, Dr. Ajit said that the State government demand cent percent from each one of us but even at times basic facilities are not provided to us. Dr Ajit further stated that nearly 350 nurses are lending their service at present here at RIMS but 3,700 posts of nurses have been sanctioned by the government. The hospital staffs unanimously added that there is immense work load while no security is provided to them by hospital administration.