The outpatient services at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research (Jipmer) were thrown out of gear on Friday as the members of Resident Doctors’ Association went on a token strike demanding protection to doctors and employees.
A large number of patients, who came from different parts of Puducherry and neighbouring Villupuram, Cuddalore and Kancheepuram districts, had to return without consultation. Some of the patients went to other government hospitals in Puducherry.
Patients, who came from far away places, were taken by surprise .
The agitating doctors and interns also staged a dharna, protesting against the incidents of attack on duty doctors recently.
They said that a senior resident doctor on duty was brutally assaulted in broad day light by two unidentified persons just outside the Jipmer campus. The attackers were yet to be identified by the police.
Similarly, a junior doctor was manhandled by inebriated relatives of a patient in the casualty ward a few months ago.
The agitating doctors said that emergency, critical care and labour room care was not affected.
