Doctors' strike puts patients in the dock

KOCHI: Patients from all over the district who visited the Ernakulam General Hospital on Monday were in for a shock when they realised their objective would not be met soon. The nationwide stir called by the state chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest against the attack on a doctor in West Bengal, brought the functioning of the hospital to a standstill for two hours with doctors deciding to go on a strike from 8 am to 10 am.

"We came around 6 am and did not know about the strike," said a patient who had come with a fever. "We reached early thinking I could go for work after consultation but since the doctors were on strike, I had to take leave and wait till 10 am," she added.

A staffer at the OP counter of the hospital said people started coming in from 4 am. "Long queues are seen every day from 4 am and things weren't any different on Monday too. But, most people were disappointed to know about the strike. They had no clue and hence had to wait for long hours," he added.

With private hospitals going on a 24-hour strike, the number of patients who visited the government hospitals in the district was manifold. "We had gone to a nearby private hospital in the morning. But, once we came to know about the 24-hour strike, we decided to come here. We were unsure about whether the OP will function after 10 am here too," said a bystander of a patient.

According to the Superintendent of the General Hospital, Ernakulam, emergency departments like casualty and operation theatres were exempted from the strike. "The strike was only for two hours and the doctors started seeing the patients soon after 10 am," said the Superintendent of the General Hospital, Ernakulam.

Apart from extending solidarity to the doctors of West Bengal, the medicos want a central law to ensure their safety. "The main aim of the strike is to make the government take a decision regarding the safety of doctors. The government should bring a rule against people who attack healthcare workers and the hospital," said Dr Junaid Rahman MI, president, IMA Cochin.