Facing the repercussions of doctors’ assault in Kanpur, patients in Dr BR Ambedkar Hospital in the city were left neglected on Wednesday. More than 1,200 junior doctors abandoned their services in the hospital to protest against the attack on doctors in Uttar Pradesh.
Junior doctors, under-graduates, interns and consultants had suspended their services from the Out Patient Department (OPD) in the Government-run hospital. Most of the patients had no prior intimation of the protest which did not give them chance to make any alternative arrangements. “My brother's arm was broken in an accident and he was admitted on Tuesday night. He needs to undergo some tests but there are no doctors to advise us. If he had information about this beforehand, we would have shifted him elsewhere,” said Jeetu Kuswaha.
Usually, the OPD remains open from 8 am to 2 pm but on Wednesday patients were seen waiting to be attended by senior doctors for hours. The patients complained that the absence of junior doctors has caused them immense inconvenience. “My wife and I have arrived in the city from Aurangabad at 8 am to see my brother and his son who have been admitted in the hospital after a road accident. We have not been able to find them even after three hours. Everyone we asked tells us to come after the doctors’ protest ends,” said Swapnil Yeole.
Patients were seen waiting outside the hospital building in front of the parking zone as they could not find doctors to attend to them. Patients in long queues waited to see senior doctors in the hospital. Unlike the premier medical institute of the country All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi which extended its support to the doctors in Kanpur and held protests, doctors in AIIMS Raipur have not suspended their services. Some patients from Dr BR Ambedkar Hospital approached AIIMS in Tatibandh in the city.
Deputy Director of AIIMS, Raipur Dr Neeresh Sharma said that all the doctors in the institute are working and have not extended their support for the doctors in Kanpur. “The patients who get themselves registered by 11 am will be duly attended by the doctors in AIIMS,” said Medical Superintendent of the hospital Dr Ajay Dani. Whereas Junior doctors Dr BR Ambedkar Hospital took out a rally at 10 am from the hospital premises and affected traffic for 20 minutes. The doctors then reached Governor House at 11 am and submitted a memorandum to Niranjan Das, Deputy Secretary to the Governor which will be forwarded to the President of India and Governor of Uttar Pradesh.
President of Junior Doctors’ Association Dr Ateesh Singhal said that they will plan their future actions on the lines of development of events in Kanpur. On the other hand, Public Relations Officer of the hospital Shubhra Thakur said that all the junior doctors will return to work on Thursday. On February 28, supporters of Samajwadi Party MlA Irfan Solanki and junior doctors of the Kanpur medical college had come to blows during night time. Following which, the police resorted to lathicharge to disperse the two raging groups. The striking doctors say they will not return to work till a police case is filed against the MlA who belongs from the ruling party in UP.