Doctors’ strike: Out patient services shut in NIMHANS, medical care delayed

Stating that the entire medical fraternity stands in solidarity with the doctors in West Bengal, NIMHANS director said that “at the same time patients should not be put to hardship.”

A deserted out patient department at the NIMHANS centre in Bengaluru on June 17, 2019

Doctors in National Institute of Mental Health and Neuro-Sciences (NIMHANS) have joined the strike after shutting the OPD services. Meanwhile, hospital director B.N. Gangadhar said he has asked doctors to resume service and ensure that patients are not affected.

A patient from Hunsur, who has been waiting in the queue from midnight, said he had brought his mother for treatment. “We were told the doctor will come at 8 a.m. but now they suddenly tell us that the OPD is shut. This is unfair,” said the patient.

He told

The Hindu that OPD services will resume if doctors decide to report to work. “As of now, we have withheld registration in the OPD and are informing the patients to return another day if it is not an emergency. But if doctors respond to my appeal and resume work, OPD may function later in the day.”

Stating that the entire medical fraternity stands in solidarity with the doctors in West Bengal, Mr. Gangadhar said that “at the same time patients should not be put to hardship.”

Patients were seen standing at the gates, clueless and disappointed.

The doctors have turned a blind eye to health minister Shivananda S. Patil’s instruction that they not create inconvenience to the patients by protesting for too long.

“We are given an appointment for today, but no one took an initiative to inform us about sudden protest. A junior doctor being attacked in West Bengal and doctors protesting there for their own security makes sense. But coming up with something all of a sudden without any information to the patients is causing a lot of problems. Not just to me and my family but others as well,” said a patient from Hassan

“We left all our works and travelled from so far. After coming here, they tell us about the strike. Doctors should have some empathy towards patients. It’s a day wasted and another day for my mother to suffer. My husband and I are farmers. And this protest has wasted our time. We'll have to come again the next month for treatment. Information regarding the protest should be given prior through media at least,” said another patient from Hoskote who accompanied her mother.

“The doctors changed the tablet and asked me to come back after a month to see if the new medicine worked. I'm here with my daughter who has mental issues and is now suffering from severe body pain because of the new medicine. I've been waiting since 7 a.m. I'l have to come back again on Monday and I'm just worried about my daughter because she's the one to suffer,” said a female patient from Bangarpet, Kolar district.