Doctors' strike brings hospital services to a grinding halt, patients suffer

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The nationwide 24-hour strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest against the brutal murder of a woman doctor at Kolkata's RG Kar Medical College, brought medical services in government and private hospitals in the state to a standstill. Except for emergency services, all other services were affected. Outpatient services were closed, and scheduled surgeries were cancelled, causing inconvenience to patients. The accident and emergency department was crowded with patients who were unaware of the strike.

The 24-hour strike, which commenced at 6 am yesterday, significantly impacted government hospitals, with doctors reporting for duty only in emergency services, ICUs, labour rooms, and wards. The strike will conclude at 6 am today. In addition to the strike, doctors also boycotted academic activities and official meetings. The striking doctors held protest marches in medical colleges and other locations.

Patients experienced hardships in government medical colleges, district, general, and taluk hospitals, and cancer centres. Although doctors did not attend OP services in private hospitals, more staff were deployed in emergency services and other areas to mitigate the impact. Patients at Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences in Thiruvananthapuram were not affected by the strikes as there was no OP on Saturday. Wayanad district was exempted from the strike due to the recent landslide tragedy.

Long queues
The closure of OP services in government hospitals, including medical colleges, resulted in long queues in emergency departments. Patients, comprising elderly individuals and children, had to wait for extended periods. Meanwhile, the Regional Cancer Centre has initiated the process of rescheduling yesterday's OP appointments to alternative days.