Healthcare Services Hit in Udupi District as Doctors go on Strike
Udupi: Doctors from private hospitals in Udupi district went on a token strike on Monday in the wake of a recent assault on doctors in West Bengal.
Emergency and trauma services remained functional but the out-patient-department (OPD) services and elective surgeries were postponed.
The one-day token strike has been called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in support of the junior doctors’ stir of NRS Medical College, Kolkata, who were attacked on June 10.
Extending support to the nationwide protest of doctors, private medical clinics and nursing homes in Udupi district have closed all non-emergency services for the day. More than 200 private medical establishments located in the district are supporting the protest.
Boards have been put up outside the private hospitals in the city, namely the Adarsha Hospital in Udupi and the KMC Hospital in Manipal, stating the suspension of OPD services for 24 hours.
IMA Udupi district, in their press release, said that the district unit had received directives from the IMA headquarters in Delhi to protest against violence witnessed by doctors and to press for a law to protect the medicos. Private nursing homes and clinics have decided not to open OPD. However, we will provide emergency services.” Private hospitals have closed OPDs and the patients who visit the hospitals are being adviced to visit government institutes.
In KMC Hospital (Manipal), the OPD is not going to be functional from 6 am on Monday till 6 am on Tuesday. Similarly, the OPDs at Dr TMA Pai Hospitals in Udupi and Karkala will also be closed. However, emergency services will be available, said Medical Superintendent Dr Avinash Shetty.
Udupi District Health Officer has also instructed the doctors in government hospitals to be on duty for the day. All doctors in district hospitals will be on duty. Nobody is allowed to go on leave.