No objection to protest but think of us too: Patients
Times of India | 15 August 2024
Kolkata: The ‘OPD shutdown’ call by Joint Platform of Doctors on Wednesday added to the sufferings of patients, who have been at the receiving end of the doctors’ protests the past couple of days.
Many, unaware of the demonstration, landed up at hospitals, only to return disappointed. Biren Mondal (59), who had an appointment at NRS Medical College for a check-up for his fractured leg, could not find any doctor.“Doctors had asked me to come on Wednesday for a check-up,” said Mondal. “While I support the doctors protesting against the incident, I urge them to think about patients’ inconvenience, too.”
At IPGMER, where 7,000-odd patients visit the OPD a day, opened the outpatient counter at the usual time on Thursday. While tokens were issued, no doctor attended the OPD. “The doctors could have attended to at least those, who were told to report on Wednesday. I had no idea about the OPD shutdown. I have brought my daughter all the way from Pandua, she is being treated for a tumour in an ear,” said Chandra Ram Hansda, an OPD patient at IPGMER.
The scene was similar at Calcutta National Medical College. Ruma Sarkar, who went there from Budge Budge, said, “My father-in-law, Ratikanta Sarkar, needs an urgent surgery to remove a tumour from his urinary tract. But we can’t admit him as doctors are not available.”
The OPD token counter at RG Kar Medical College was opened initially but was later shut. A protesting doctor sought apology from a patient for the trouble. “We understand the patient’s plight but we had to stay away from OPD to protest against the brutality on a colleague,” said an MCH doctor. “But we attended to all emergency patients.”