The Indian Medical Association (IMA)’s call for suspension of non-emergency services on Monday in protest against the attack on doctors at a hospital in Kolkata had little impact in Andhra Pradesh. Here, at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences-Mangalagiri (AIIMS-M), doctors confined to token protests by wearing black badges and holding placards denouncing the incident.
However, AIIMS-M medical superintendent Rakesh Kakkar said the outpatient and emergency services were running to serve the patients.
‘Pursue Bill’
Speaking to The Hindu , IMA medical students’ network chairman K.S. Karunamurthy demanded that a bill introduced by the Central government be pursued to provide protection to the doctors and hospitals.
In Tirupati, doctors staged a protest at the Ruia Government General Hospital and shouted slogans decrying the incident in Kolkata, but resumed their duties at 10 a.m. A.P. Government Doctors’ Association local president T. Muneeswar Reddy said they would extend all support to the IMA in its efforts to get protection for the doctors.
In Guntur, outpatient services at the 1166-bedded Government General Hospital (GGH) remained unaffected as doctors continued work by wearing black badges, its superintendent D.S. Raju Naidu told The Hindu. Protests were also seen in Vizianagaram and Srikakulam districts.
A.P. Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes’ Association President V.S. Prasad, A.P. Medical Council Public Relations Committee Chairman J.C. Naidu, among others, submitted a memorandum to the Collector M. Hari Jawaharlal, seeking steps for protecting the doctors from attacks.
Medical and paramedical staff of as many as 102 primary health centres at Pileru, Madanapalle, Kuppam, Puttur, Nagari, Srikalahasti, Bangarupalem and Satyavedu in Chittoor observed an hour-long protest.
Show of solidarity
District Medical and Health Office Rama Giddaiah told The Hindu that the protests were permitted at the PHCs for an hour but they did not hamper the medical services. Interestingly, some patients too joined the demonstrations by doctors.
The outpatient services at all private hospitals and nursing homes were suspended in Anantapur district from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. and the junior doctors joined the Government Doctors' Association members in organising the protests.
Government physician K. Veerabhadraiah said the security of doctors had become a big problem worldwide and in India, 20% of the victims were emergency wing doctors.
