The Hindu : New Delhi News : Medicos' strike hits work at hospitals

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, May 30, 2006

New Delhi

New Delhi

Medicos' strike hits work at hospitals

Staff Reporter

A mother awaits treatment for her kid on Monday.

NEW DELHI: The usually busy Casualty and Out Patient Departments in all major hospitals of the Capital including Ram Manohar Lohia, Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan and Kalawati Saran wore a deserted look on Monday even as the strike by the medicos entered its 17th day.

The protest was stepped up with faculty members of Lady Hardinge Medical College and Associated Hospitals, University College of Medical Sciences and Maulana Azad Medical College going on mass casual leave during the day.

The faculty at the All-India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has also decided to observe a daylong hunger strike on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, the medical fraternity is gearing up for a "Delhi bandh" on Wednesday. The bandh is expected to see the participation of both government hospitals and private doctors.

Speaking about the plight of patient in major hospitals, former Delhi Medical Association president K.K. Aggarwal said: "While Government hospitals are taking in emergency cases, follow-up patients have been advised to wait for the strike to end. Private and charitable hospitals and local physicians have registered a 10 per cent increase in the patient strength."

"Doctors have told us to come to the hospital only after the strike is over," said Barkha from Anand Parbat who had brought her daughter for a check-up at Lohia Hospital on Monday.

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