12 Kolkata: OPD services and elective surgeries remained suspended largely in both govt and private hospitals across the state on Saturday. Sources said that OPD counters see less footfall on Saturdays. And since many knew about the OPD closure call, even lesser number of patients turned up on Saturday. The few who turned up had a harrowing time while searching for a doctor.
The pan 24-hour OPD closure was in response to the call for such move by IMA headquarters.This is the second time OPD services were suspended in the state after a call by Joint Platform of Doctors of West Bengal when most doctors across private and public hospitals stayed away from OPDs on Wednesday.
“As we knew that most of our doctors are responding to the calls of OPD closure, we had deputed more senior doctors in the emergency unit where even non-casualty patients were tended. Luckily, on Saturdays, we usually see less rush,” said an official at NRS Medical College.
At IPGMER that see an average footfall of 7,000 OPD patient daily, most senior faculty members stayed away from non-emergency services. Many also deferred routine elective surgeries.
“It seems that people knew about the OPD closure and hence very few turned up. Most doctors were not available. But we kept our emergency services running,” said a source at SSKM Hospital.
The scene was the same at most corporate hospitals. Many had informed patients who had prior booking not to turn up on Saturday as their doctors would not tend to them.
“In response to the IMA’s nationwide call we had to suspend medical services apart from emergency care. We also rescheduled prior appointments,” said a message from Manipal Group of Hospitals that now operates five corporate hospitals in Kolkata.
A communique from Charnock Hospitals said, “In light of today’s OPD shutdown, Charnock Hospital has rescheduled all OPD appointments. While routine tests and consultations have been deferred, emergency services remain fully operational to cater to urgent needs. Also, blood collection services at home are being provided,” said Charnock MD Prashant Sharma.
Many doctors who did not attend to patients on Saturday, participated in a protest march from R G Kar Medical College to Dorina Crossing in the afternoon. The march organized by IMA had doctors from both govt and private hospitals taking to the street.
“Close to 95% of doctors cancelled their OPD. Some patients who required urgent consultation were tended to at our emergency and IPD consultants. We will be rescheduling the OPD throughout the next week and all doctors have been requested to extend their OPD timings to accommodate the additional patient count,” said Supriyo Chakrabarty, group advisor, B P Poddar Hospital.