Rajasthan doctors ignore HC warning, continue strike

Jaipur, Dec 20 (IANS) Despite the Rajasthan High Court warning doctors to resume work or face suspension, doctors continued with their strike in state-run government hospitals on Wednesday too, with reports of a patient dying for want of medical care in Pratapgarh.

The strike has led to medical services in hospitals, primary health centres, community health centres, district and referral hospitals and medical college hospitals remaining paralysed across the state. Patients in these hospitals were seen running from pillar to post but to no avail.

Patients travelled several kilometres from distant villages in the hope of getting quality treatment in cities. However, they were in despair after finding no one to attend to them.

Meanwhile the doctors associations' office-bearers' phones remained switched off on Wednesday too and reports confirmed that they continue to remain underground to avoid arrest by the government.

A patient in Pratapgarh died as timely medical services could not be provided to him. Similarly, in Dausa, postmortem of a woman could not be done as there were no doctors available in the hospital. Her body had to be transported 70 km to a nearby town to get her post mortem done.

Major operations in all districts were postponed in medical colleges and district hospitals.

Resident doctors across Rajasthan as well as in-service doctors are on strike pressing their demands, including hike in allowances, and protesting the "atrocities" being meted out to them in term of random arrests.

Speaking to IANS, a senior official of SMS hospital in Jaipur said that assistant professors are serving in emergency wards and hence patients are getting timely aid. However, patients in other wards are facing a tough time as the number of doctors is very few compared to patients.

The Health Minister was not available on phone. However, sources confirmed that he may organise a press conference on Thursday to brief the media on the way forward to fight this crisis.

(This story has not been edited by Social News XYZ staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)