Protests on at Murshidabad, Burdwan medical colleges

BURDWAN/BEHRAMPORE: With 1,380 junior doctors and medical students on hunger strike, patient arrivals at the emergency ward of Burdwan Medical College and Hospital (BMCH) dropped to a low of four-five on Friday, a day when the hospital’s outpatient department (OPD) — where thousands of patients normally wait every day — wore a deserted look.
This comes even after Thursday’s action by BMCH authorities who used a sledgehammer to break open the lock of the shut collapsible gate outside the emergency ward.
On Friday, agitating junior doctors thwarted a bid by BMCH authorities to open the OPD.
In Murshidabad Medical College and Hospital (MMCH), hopes raised on Thursday evening about withdrawal of the junior doctors’ cease-work, were dashed. Like elsewhere, only the emergency wing functioned at MMCH with the OPD shut.
Hopes were raised after junior doctors announced withdrawal of protest around 8pm on Thursday. This followed a meeting with a Trinamool delegation led by MP Abu Taher Khan. Around 11.30 pm, however, junior doctors said they were re-starting the agitation.
(With inputs from Md Asif)