Outpatient services disrupted in Andhra Pradesh due to doctors’ strike

Vijayawada: Doctors across the country, including Andhra Pradesh, suspended outpatient department (OPD) services on Saturday in response to the nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA). The protest was held to condemn the rape and murder of a postgraduate medical student at Kolkata’s RG Kar Medical College. Medical services remained closed in both government and private hospitals except for emergencies, leaving many patients in a fix, especially those who had travelled long distances for treatment. Patients from Nellore, Kadapa, Annamaiah, Chittoor and Sathya Sai districts at Tirupati Ruia Hospital were taken aback by the sudden strike. The suspension of OPD services disrupted their plans, causing inconvenience to those in need of medical attention. Despite the challenges faced by patients, Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors’ Association (APJUDA), AIIMS-Mangalgiri, Government Doctors’ Association, IMA and other healthcare organisations actively participated in the 24-hour strike. They demanded justice for the victim and implementation of the Central Protection Act (CPA) to ensure safety of healthcare professionals. Dr A Vijay Chandra Reddy, representing the Faculty Welfare Association at AIIMS Mangalagiri, said, “We are deeply disturbed by this tragic incident. We call upon the government to provide a safe working environment by implementing the Central Protection Act. We risked our lives during Covid-19 and now we need protection.” At Mangalagiri, various organisations, including AP Tenant Farmers Union, South India Human Rights-Women and Children and Andhra Pradesh State Farmers and Agricultural Workers Union, declared their support for the doctors’ protest. Dr Santosh, senior resident at AIIMS Mangalagiri, expressed determination to continue the protest. “We will not stop until our demands are met, the victim gets justice and the Act is implemented. Today, we were joined by the faculty association, nursing staff, patients and various social activists, which has strengthened our resolve,” he said. In other parts of the state, students of Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada, NRI Medical College in Guntur, Ruia Medical College in Tirupati, Rangaraya Medical College in Kakinada and KGH-Visakhapatnam also staged protests. The strike prompted the Union Health Ministry to issue a statement assuring safety measures for doctors. The ministry announced the formation of a committee to suggest measures for the safety of healthcare professionals and urged the agitating doctors to resume their duties in the larger public interest. However, the IMA leadership remained dissatisfied with the government’s response. Dr CS Raju, national vice-president of the New Delhi-based IMA Hospital Board of India, said, “We will intensify our protest against the atrocities and lawlessness in West Bengal. The ‘Steth and Scalpel Down’ movement is on the horizon. The government’s press release is just a sham. The Prevention of Violence Against Healthcare Professionals Bill must be revisited and an ordinance passed if the government is really serious about addressing our concerns.” Meanwhile, Home Minister Vangalapudi Anitha supported the protest by junior doctors at the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) Gandhi statue in Visakhapatnam against the rape and murder of the woman doctor in Kolkata. Anitha, who visited the protest camp, enquired about the concerns raised by the junior doctors and demanded that the accused be given severe punishment. Lokesh demands justice for Kolkata rape victim HRD and IT Minister Nara Lokesh wrote on Twitter, “I am at a loss for words thinking about the pain suffered by the young doctor. This brutality cannot be condemned enough. Justice must be swift, decisive and exemplary. I stand in solidarity with the victim’s family and all those demanding justice for her. My message to all boys and men – the most effective protest is to be a good human being – this is a battle we have to win.”