Doctor’s strike hit patients hard

Its four days since the indefinite stir by government doctors against move to start evening OP clinics

It has been four hours since 70-year-old Manichellamma from Venjaramoodu had reached the General Hospital on Monday. When she reached there with her heart patient husband at 6 a.m., the queue had already grown considerably big. But there were not enough doctors to take up each of their medical issues.

On the fourth day of the indefinite strike called by government doctors owing allegiance to the Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) in protest against the suspension of a doctor in Palakkad and the government move to commence evening outpatient (OP) clinics with the existing staff strength, the patients continued to bear the brunt.

Five desks were arranged at the courtyard, with junior doctors and those on contract under the National Rural Health Mission (NHRM), providing consultation for the long line of patients in each of those. In addition, there was another long line in a separate corner as part of the weekly thyroid consultation. But the specialist outpatient services were not available for the fourth straight day.

“This is the second time that we are coming here, after the strike began. My husband has monthly consultation for his heart problem and I have pain on my joints, for which I am under medication. But our regular doctors are not available. Since we came here, we decided to consult the junior doctors anyway. They looked at my previous consultation documents and asked me whether I am having skin disease. So I thought it is better to wait till the strike ends,” says Manichellamma.

Rasiya Beevi from Vizhinjam also had been waiting since early morning to consult a doctor for her bone disease.

“Most of us who come here do so because we cannot afford the treatment in private hospitals. So, what can we do if even treatment in government hospitals is also denied to us? The doctors should also think about our plight before going on strike,” she said.

There were quite a few senior citizens and children affected with fever, among those waiting for treatment.