Doctors strike paralyzes medical and health services in Bihar

Doctors strike has paralyzed medical and health services in Bihar, where an intense heat wave has claimed 61 lives in the past few days while nearly 100 children, have died of suspected acute encephalitis syndrome (AES).
The country-wide strike, called by Indian Medical Association in protest against the recent assault on junior doctors at a hospital in West Bengal, has received support from Bihar State Health Services Association.

Long queues of hapless patients were seen at PMCH in Patna, the largest hospital in the state, as services at OPDs remained completely suspended, though hospital sources said that emergency services have not been allowed to be affected.

Moreover, PMCH Superintendent Rajeev Ranjan said, We have given clear indications that no serious patient should suffer on account of the strike. The doctors are in a government job and they may face stern action if their boycott of work leads to any casualty or any serious patient being refused admission.

OPD services are also paralyzed at the SKMCH hospital in Muzaffarpur, where 290 children afflicted with AES have been admitted since June 1, out of whom 80 have died so far.

The hospitals superintendent Sunil Shahi, however, said, The strike will not have any adverse impact on AES patients since they are admitted to either pediatrics or emergency wards and it had been resolved that the boycott of work by doctors will not affect the functioning of these facilities."

State government officials had said that majority of the victims had died due to hypoglycemia, a condition caused by very low level of blood sugar and electrolyte imbalance.

The strike has evoked similar response in Jehanabad, Bhojpur, Begusarai, Nawada and Supaul districts.

Private hospitals and nursing homes have been similarly affected by the strike.