Doctors strike in Maharashtra: OPD, surgeries hit

Thousands of patients were affected by the resident doctor strike across the city and state on Monday Due to the personnel crunch services provided to patients were limited especially for those who visited the OPD of civic and staterun hospitals and individuals about to undergo surgeryIf the strike continues the burden on senior doctors will increase and patients who are dependent on public health services will sufferAbout 7000 resident doctors in the state are participating in the agitation Their demands include increasing the dearness allowance improving the condition of hostels and creating more senior doctor postsProtesters at a sitin on the premises of JJ hospital on MondayAccording to the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors MARD the government had been approached multiple times with regard to their demands but only assurances had been given Therefore resident doctors have decided to abstain from providing nonemergency servicesWhile many have been staging sitin protests and brandishing posters on the premises of hospitals and medical colleges they are still working in the ICU and emergency room of government hospitals Quite a few resident doctors were also seen in the general ward working in an unofficial capacity to ensure that patients were cared for However due to the shortage of personnel in the OPD heads of department professors associate professors and bonded doctors have their hands fullAlso read Mumbai Patient services at civic govt hospitals to get hit todayMohan Sarang an Antop Hill resident who had come to Sion hospital to get his leg dressed was turned away by the staff on Monday due to the shortage of doctors in the OPD The impact of the strike was also visible in the OPD departments of KEM and Nair hospitalsBorivli resident Rajbhar Jaiswar who visited Nair hospitalrsquos neurology department with his wife told midday ldquoWe arrived early in the morning but the doctor came to the OPD in the afternoonrdquoA senior official from the BMCrsquos health department said ldquoOnly 50 per cent of elective surgeries took place in all BMC hospitals There was a 60 per cent increase in patients at OPDs compared to the routine numbers But there has not been much of an impact on health servicesrdquoAdditional Municipal Commissioner Sanjeev Kumar also claimed that the strike did not have much of an effect on hospital services ldquoDiscussions are ongoing regarding the demands of the resident doctors in connection with the COVID allowance The matter will be resolved soon The BMC is also working on resolving hostel issuesrdquo Kumar saidMARD President Dr Avinash Dahiphale meanwhile stated ldquoWe do not want patients to suffer but the government is ignoring our demands If the government doesnrsquot take a decision we will withdraw our services in emergency wards toordquo7KNo of doctors on strike50Percentage of elective surgeries that took place in BMC hospitals