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Strike affects SCB hospital functioning

CUTTACK: Reacting sharply to the attack on hospital staff, junior doctors, house surgeons, nurses and MBBS students of SCB medical college and hospital struck work paralysing the normal functioning of the premier referral hospital of the State here on Thursday. The staff went on an indefinite strike protesting against repeated attacks on them by attendants of patients.

Some 30 youths went on the rampage in the emergency unit of the hospital on Tuesday night following the death of a patient. The attackers, reportedly friends and relatives of the patient, physically and verbally abused the hospital staff alleging negligence in treatment.

The Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA) which is spearheading the strike, in a memorandum to the Chief Minister has demanded immediate removal of hospital superintendent J. K. Balabantray from his post. The junior doctors blamed Dr. Balbantray’s ‘casual attitude’ for the ills plaguing the campus.

Demanding a proper security mechanism for all medical and paramedical staff of the hospital, the house surgeons and nursing staff joined the stir. While house surgeons boycotted duty from Thursday, the nursing staff boycotted the night duty in the emergency unit from Wednesday.

The district police administration deployed two sections of armed police on the hospital campus. The hospital authorities are contemplating enhancing the strength of the existing private security inside the campus. The number of patients in the hospital drastically fell.

Also supporting the JDA call, MBBS students of the college boycotted classes. Meanwhile, the Orissa Medical College Teachers’ Association (OMTA) and Orissa Medical Service Association (OMSA), the two frontal organisations of doctors in the State expressed support for the JDA strike.

When contacted, Dr. Balabantray maintained that hospital work had not suffered as senior doctors were managing different wards and taking care of patients.

He however admitted that the demand of the hospital staff in improving the security on the campus was genuine.

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