With most out-patient departments (OPDs) in private hospitals either shut or functioning partially, government doctors worked overtime to handle the heavy rush of patients on Friday. Government hospitals saw nearly a three-fold increase in the out-patient flow on Thursday, compared to November 12, a day before the strike began.
While 1,49,943 outpatients were seen across the State in government hospitals on Thursday, as against the 48,521 outpatients on November 12, the number of surgeries saw almost a six-fold jump from 218 on November 12 to 1,159 on Thursday.
In Bengaluru, while several doctors in Victoria Hospital skipped lunch on Friday to attend to the continuous flow of patients, doctors in NIMHANS were able to manage the OPD with additional deployment of doctors. Ad hoc OPD kiosks had been opened to cope with the rush in Mysuru-based K.R. Hospital.
Although OPDs functioned with a thin doctor attendance in Bengaluru, services were hit across the State as most hospitals had not resumed functioning despite the High Court’s direction.
The Health and Family Welfare Department in Hassan pressed into service mobile clinics, which were allotted to the district under the National Health Mission, to cope with increased pressure. They treated people in localities where most of the private nursing homes and hospitals are located.
In Mysuru, most of the nearly 25 diagnostic centres, 50 hospitals, and nursing homes, besides nearly 1,000 private clinics remained closed for the day. The district and taluk health officials had deployed all available staff into service, cancelling leaves and special assignments.
OPD services in Shivamogga government hospitals, including primary health centres and community health centres and general hospitals were extended beyond till 8 p.m. from the usual 4.30 p.m. throughout the strike period.
The Belagavi district hospital has performed a record number of surgeries since the doctors went on strike from November 13. The government doctors operated upon over 7,500 patients in five days, averaging about 1,500 per day. District hospital sources said that on an average, they usually have around 1,000 operations.
(With inputs from Mysuru, Mandya, Udupi, Hassan, Shivamogga and Belagavi )
