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Strike cripples medical services

Special Correspondent

OPD services worst hit; engineering students join stir in Haryana

— Photo: A.M. Faruqui

STIR GOES ON: Junior doctors forming a human chain at the GAD crossing in Bhopal on Thursday over the Government's reservation policy.

CHANDIGARH: Medical services continued to be paralysed in Chandigarh and Haryana on Thursday as the medical fraternity, including Government and private doctors, medical students and chemists observed a near-total bandh on a call issued by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) in protest against the Centre's "reservation'' policy.

OPD services were the worst hit and the patients had a harrowing time as even some private hospitals, nursing homes and private clinics also joined the bandh.

Emergency services

However, the emergency services in the PGI and Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) continued to be manned by the senior consultants.

The ongoing agitation by the PGI resident doctors and GMCH medical students against the proposed 27 per cent reservation for the OBCs in higher education and medical education institutions received a shot in the arm with private doctors, chemists and students of the Punjab Engineering College and Panjab University participating in a procession.

According to reports reaching the State headquarters, medical services were also crippled in towns like Rohtak, Yamunanagar, Ambala and Karnal.

Arjun effigy burnt

Staff Correspondent adds from Dehra Dun: Most private nursing homes and clinics in Uttaranchal remained closed on Thursday in response to the IMA strike call.

In Dehra Dun, doctors staged a rally and burnt an effigy of Union Minister Arjun Singh and submitted a memorandum addressed to the Prime Minister to the District Magistrate.

Similar reports have come in from Hardwar, Udham Singh Nagar, Naini Tal, Pithoragarh and Almora. The strike call had no impact in the rest of the State as there are hardly any private practitioners in the higher hill regions.

Describing the reservation move as a political stunt to garner votes by the Congress, the State president of the Ayurveda Sammelan, G. B. Joshi, said that no one was against reservation but the way higher education was being diluted through quotas was a sad thing to happen in India. "The Government should instead evolve a formula to provide reservation to meritorious poor students," added Dr. Joshi. His views were supported by many medical students and homoeopathic doctors.

IMA State secretary D. D. Chowdhary said that reservation on caste lines was unacceptable in the interests of the nation as everyone hoped to be treated by a good doctor and not someone who had got into the profession by virtue of quotas.

Massive rally in Shimla

Staff Correspondent adds from Shimla: A number of business associations in Himachal Pradesh including the Beopar Mandal observed a half-day "bandh" in various cities and towns in support of the striking anti-reservation medicos.

Slogan-shouting doctors took out a massive rally here in Shimla. A number of representatives of the Bar Council, Himachal Pradesh University, Anti-Quota State and Central Government Employees' Front, Ayurvedic and Veterinary Colleges, Chemists' Association, Resident Doctors' Association and teachers from the premier Indira Gandhi Medical College and State Hospital addressed the gathering.

The speakers criticised politicians of all hues including former Prime Minister V. P. Singh and Union Human Resource Minister Arjun Singh.

To contest polls

PTI adds from Ludhiana: Irked over not getting any support from ruling Congress over the anti-reservation row, striking medicos on Thursday decided to jump into an election fray and declared that they will contest the forthcoming Punjab elections to air their grievances.

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