The ongoing ‘Sakala Janula Samme' is threatening to push medical services at Government Hospitals to the brink.
The protests have the potential to not only derail patient services but also impact the working relationships between doctors hailing from various regions.
Due to RTC strike, patients are struggling to reach Government hospitals, even as senior doctors are yet to take a final call on the question of boycotting medical duties. The agitation could trouble patients if doctors join the protests.
Hunger strike
Already, junior doctors at Gandhi Hospital have threatened to boycott elective duties from Wednesday. Three post-graduate students from the hospital are on an indefinite hunger strike. TRS leaders, including Etella Rajendar, on Tuesday met the protesting doctors to extend their moral support.
To prevent patients from entering the campus, the cattle guards at the entrance were removed by the agitating PG doctors.
“There are several novel ways to protest. Doctors can work overtime and treat patients and this would be a novel protest. Removing cattle guards, disfiguring hospital premises and disrupting medical services is nuisance,” says P. Rama Krishna, who brought his daughter for delivery at the hospital. Gandhi and Osmania General Hospital officials have maintained that so far the senior doctors, paramedics and nurses have attended to their normal duties. Ironically, the Superintendant's of both the top hospitals do not have an office because the administrative staff of both the hospitals has joined the strike.
Word of caution
“Till today, we have somehow managed the situation. I have not received any strike intimation from senior or junior doctors. Our doctors, nurses and other medical staff have so far performed their duties admirably. The situation will worsen if they join strike,” warns Gandhi Hospital Superintendant, Dr. B. T. Prasad Kumar.
