Junior doctors in Bhopal join IMA stir, medical services to be affected on Monday

BHOPAL: Expressing solidarity with the doctors in West Bengal agitating against an attack on their colleagues, doctors and medical fraternity in Bhopal would go on one-day stir on Monday.
Though emergency services will remain functional, the strike may affect outpatient departments in private and government run-hospitals for the day.
Doctors at state government-run hospitals like JP hospital will be on duty.Services at Gandhi Medical College (GMC) and other government medical colleges across the state would remain affected. AIIMS Bhopal administration has also been notified about the stir.
Going by health department estimates, around 10,000 OPD patients would have to defer their appointments across the state capital. About 30 planned surgeries in Hamidia hospital too are expected to be deferred.
Madhya Pradesh Medical Doctors Association (MPMDA) maintained that emergency and critical cases including in-patient services would not be impacted by the one-day stir. Indian Medical Association (IMA) greater Bhopal chapter president Dr Rajiv Gupta said that the IMA stir call is for nationwide suspension of non-essential services only. MP nursing association, MP nursing homes association and others have also supported the stir.
IMA, the apex body of doctors in the country, has also renewed its demand for a union government law to check violence against health care workers in hospitals. It said it should have a provision for a minimum of seven-year jail sentence to violators.
Medical institutions like GMC have also been in the news for violence in hospitals and it has adversely affected patient care. Over the years, GMC administration has failed to install even CCTV surveillance for safety of doctors.
When contacted, doctors of some private hospitals said that they support the stir but will refrain from going off duty. “We are with IMA and its call,” said a private consultant, seeking anonymity.
Directorate of Medical Education (DME) and health department officials maintained that OPD services in state-run hospitals would continue as usual.