Lucknow doctors go on a 24-hour strike

Lucknow: Health care services in the Uttar Pradesh capital were largely crippled on Monday as over 10,000 doctors proceeded on strike in support of their counterparts in West Bengal.

The resident doctors of King George's Medical University (KGMU) and Queen Mary's hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (SGPGIMS) and Dr Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences (RMLIMS) proceeded on strike at 6.a.m and will stay off work till Tuesday 6 a.m.

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.

As a precautionary measure, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) of Lucknow, Dr Narendra Agarwal has asked all district hospitals and community health care centres to be prepared for rush of patients and make necessary arrangements to ensure that no needy was deprived of medical care.

If the strike is not called off, and services are hit, Dr Ram Manohar Lohia combined hospital, Lokbandhu Rajnarayan hospital, Balrampur hospital, Rani Laxmibai combined hospital, BRD hospital, Ram Sagar Mishra hospital, Veerangana Avanti Bai women's hospital and Veerangana Jhalkari Bai women's hospital were expected to witness a surge in patients.

"The resident doctors' associations of KGMU, SGPGIMS and RMLIMS have decided to strike on IMA's call. We will not let emergency services get affected," said KGMU RDA president and doctor Nayani Amrin.

Private diagnostic and medical centres in the city have also joined the strike. "The 1,000 diagnostic centres, pathology laboratories, nursing homes and private clinics affiliated to IMA and otherwise will also remain shut for 24 hours," said IMA member and doctor P.K. Gupta.

Gupta said that the state 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.

SGPGIMS faculty forum secretary M.S. Ansari said that they support the cause but will not strike work.

RDA president, Ajay Shukla said: "There are 500 resident doctors at SGPGIMS, and all will be on strike. We will also take out protest march in morning and evening on Monday."

Meanwhile, long queues of patients were seen at Balrampur hospital where doctors had not joined in the strike.