Other States - Orissa   

Talks with striking junior doctors fail

CUTTACK: There seems to be no end to the miseries of poor patients of the State admitted to all the three government teaching hospitals as the strike by junior doctors entered third day on Friday. The strike is unlikely to be called off in near future as the talks between the delegates of the striking doctors and Government ended in futile on the day.

For the first time during the last three days, the State Director of Medical Education and Training (DMET) Prof. N. K. Mohanty met the striking doctors at Cuttack hospital on Friday to hold parleys on behalf of the government. “But the talks failed as the DMET’s proposals had no solution to our grievances”, said a spokesman of the Junior Doctors’ Association (JDA).

Meanwhile, the healthcare facilities are fast deteriorating in Cuttack, Berhampur and Burla hospitals as more than half of the doctors are on strike. Moreover, the Orissa Medical Services Association (OMSA) and the Orissa Medical Teachers’ Association (OMTA) have thrown their weight behind the JDA strike, sparking a serious breakdown of healthcare services.

It is also apprehended that other associations of the health sector are also going to extend their support to the cause of the junior doctors.

The junior doctors, who are actually the PG students of these teaching hospitals, are demanding hike in their monthly remuneration and also seeking additional grant for their theses work.

Meanwhile, the condition of the patients in the hospitals is deteriorating day by day while the in-patients are forced to vacate the Government hospitals and are seeking admission in private hospitals. The patient turnout in all these hospitals are also affecting due to the strike by junior hospitals.

Pressing the panic buttons, the hospital authorities had sought the services of the rural doctors but not many of them are showing any interest to come to the rescue.

While the SCB medical college and hospital had requisitioned the services of at least 50 doctors from rural areas, only 12 turned up on Friday. “All these doctors were pressed into duty in the emergency departments”, said the hospital Superintendent Trilochan Sahu.

According to a latest report, some senior health department officials are meeting the State Health Minister Sanatan Bisi in Bhubaneswar on Friday evening to apprise the latter about the situation in the hospitals and the outcome of discussion between the DMET and striking doctors.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Lively shades of womanhood
Thousands witness ‘Vasant Purnima’ festival
ECoR puts up web-enabled CRS
KAIZEN-08 celebrated
3 held for helping examinees
On treetop for last five years!
Preparatory meet for by-election held
Reliance may face students’ ire
Pachyderms strike again
Tribal women emerge as confident leaders
HC stays ban order on NGOs in Kandhamal district
Unique day, indeed
Talks with striking junior doctors fail

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu