NEW DELHI: Medical services across the Capital were severely hit on Monday as doctors from Government and private hospitals joined the students' protest against the proposed move to enhance reservation for OBCs in institutes of higher learning. At the end of the day, the Indian Medical Association (IMA) described the response to the "medical bandh" called by it as "unprecedented".

Most hospitals saw a drop of over 50 per cent in visits of patients to their Out Patients Department (OPD) on Monday. The OPD at Ram Manohar Lohia Hospital received only 2,070 cases, while Safdarjung Hospital reported nearly 3,500 as against 7,000 patients on normal days. Lady Hardinge Medical College also saw a drop of around 50 per cent, receiving about 1,000 patients.

Even in private institutes like Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and G.M. Modi Hospital, doctors wore black bands in protest and participated in the strike by keeping the OPD closed for new patients. However, critical care and in-patient facilities functioned normally.

"It was a near 100 per cent medical bandh and received unprecedented support. Although the call was given at short notice, a lot of doctors and hospitals voluntarily came out to support the cause. It only goes to show how strongly the community feels about the issue," said IMA president Sanjay Malik.

Although almost all major hospitals such as the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) and the Maulana Azad Medical College hospital did run parallel OPD services and had resident doctors treating patients from makeshift camps, many hospitals saw patients being turned away or waiting endlessly for treatment.

"I had come to get my son's chemotherapy done. But we have been told now that it cannot be performed as there is a strike. I am not sure whether I should return home or wait. We have come from a long distance," said a patient waiting at the OPD section of AIIMS.

Meanwhile, medical students continued with their indefinite hunger strike at AIIMS on Monday and said they were waiting for a meeting with the Prime Minister.

The day also saw support come for students from the Delhi Residents' Welfare Association Joint Front, which criticised the use of force on students by the police.

"We were shocked by the use of violence on the protesting medical students. As concerned parents, we know tomorrow our children will also suffer because of the Government's move. These students are the future of the country and only merit should be used as the basis of admission in higher education. This is the time to unite and not divide the country," said Vakul Cowshik, member of the Front's women task force.

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) also condemned the police attack on protesting students in Mumbai. "We are not against reservations per se but we are opposed to the idea behind introduction of this reservation proposal. The manhandling of demonstrating students was improper and we condemn it. And in case such incidents continue we will launch a protest demonstration against the police force," said ABVP general secretary Nakul Bharadwaj.

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