Chandigarh: PGI services remain crippled for fifth day

As the indefinite strike of resident doctors entered the fifth day on Friday, leaving scores of OPD patients in the lurch, the faculty at PGIMER also came out in their support.

Condemning the heinous rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor at RG Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata on August 9, the faculty association urged public to join their fight for justice.

Escalating their protest a day after a mob barged into the RG Kar Medical College and Hospital and assaulted protesting doctors, also vandalising property and vehicles, the resident doctors and faculty demanded implementation of Central Protection Act and justice to the victim’s family.

On Friday, the PGIMER Faculty Association, while addressing the press, said faculty members will be taking part in the agitation of the residents only after working hours. As the safety and security is the concern of all health care staff, all associations came forward for supporting the ongoing stir of residents, they said.

They assured that the association was fully committed towards patient safety, and they were running all emergency and ICU services round-the-clock. They were also providing support to residents by taking care of OPDs and patients in the wards, the association said.

“If a young woman is not safe on the campus of a medical college, what does it say about our system?” questioned Dr Dheeraj Khurana, president of the association, adding, “We request the PGIMER administration for immediate implementation of safety and security measures for residents and health care staff within the hospital and PGIMER campus.”

With no new patients being registered in OPDs, according to doctors, the numbers in the emergency have gone up substantially. A total of 108 patients were registered in the Emergency and Trauma OPD and 4,587 follow-up patients were examined in all OPDs on Friday.

Dr Lakshmi, general secretary of the faculty association, said, “There has been no compromise in work. All ICUs and emergency services are operational, and critical patients are being taken care of. Trauma OTs and time-sensitive OTs are also operational and consultants from different departments are coordinating to see as many patients as possible.”

Residents’ outrage justified: PGI director

PGIMER director Dr Vivek Lal said, “The incident is shameful, painful and a national shame. Only brutal punishment can be a deterrent, and the message must be loud and clear. This escalation of outrage by residents is justified. My daughter is also a resident here and I completely understand the safety concerns.”

“To make the campus more secure for our staff, who work night shifts, we have formed a 12-member committee, involving wardens of all girls’ hostels and 10 other women from different parts of the hospital. We will begin work of installing more cameras, better light in dark areas, and all other suggestions of the committee will be considered seriously,” said Dr Lal.

“Our priority remains unwaveringly focused on patient care. PGIMER stands for the patients, by the patients and with the patients. We are dedicated to delivering the highest standards of care,” added Dr Lal.

GMSH-16 residents also go on strike

The waiting time at the OPDs of Government Multi-Specialty Hospital (GMSH), Sector 16, also shot up considerably on Friday as the resident doctors (diploma in national board PG students), almost 125 in number, went on strike.

The students gathered on the campus and raised slogans, demanding justice and death penalty for the rapist.

Dr Suman Singh, director, health services, Chandigarh, said, “We are geared up to cope with any situation. We are trying our best to manage things. Residents doctors are on strike, but emergency and labour departments are running without interruption.”

GMCH-32 residents take out rally

Demanding strict action against the rapist, junior and senior resident doctors of Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH), Sector 32, staged a demonstration and took out a rally on Friday. The residents gathered at Block E, where they raised slogans, before moving to Block B and then to the emergency wing.

Stepping outside the hospital premises, they also held a demonstration on the road towards the Sector 32 market and GGDSD College.

Meanwhile, patients’ suffering continued as they had to wait for long hours for treatment. After OPDs opened at 8.30 am, consultants attended to patients. Elective surgeries also remained suspended, apart from a few by the eye department, which were performed by consultants without resident doctors’ assistance. Normally, 60 to 70 elective surgeries are performed at GMCH-32 daily. Meanwhile, emergency services remained uninterrupted.

On Friday evening, resident doctors, faculty association, nursing staff, technicians and other associations from PGIMER also held a peaceful candle march at Sukhna Lake. Doctors and medical professionals from GMSH-16 and GMCH-32, along with various NGOs and volunteer organisations, joined them.

IMA strike call: All OPD services to remain shut at PGIMER today

The Faculty Association of PGIMER has decided to support Indian Medical Association’s call for a 24-hour strike on August 17 in solidarity with resident doctors. A PGIMER spokesperson in a statement said, “Accordingly, all outpatient department services will remain closed in PGIMER on August 17. However, emergency and critical care services will continue as before.”

“The incident that happened with the female resident doctor in Kolkata is very shameful. We oppose it. In view of this, we will hold a peaceful protest for 24 hours on Saturday. A candle march will be taken out in Sector 17. OPD services will remain closed. Emergency services will continue as before. This is the time for unity. The medical field has been demanding implementation of the Central Protection Act for a long time,” said Dr Pawan Kumar Bansal, president, IMA, Chandigarh.

Private hospitals to also join stir

The OPDs at Fortis Hospital, Phase 8, and Max Hospital, Phase 6, will also remain suspended on Saturday as the hospitals will join IMA’s strike call.

“Max Healthcare stands firmly with our doctors and supports those who choose to participate in IMA’s nationwide withdrawal of services. While we respect and support the choices of our doctors, we assure our patients and the community that essential services will remain uninterrupted,” a spokesperson for Max Healthcare said.

However, OPDs at GMSH-16 and GMCH-32 will remain functional as consultants will take care of patients.