Bangalore, Oct 28 (DHNS): A total of 911 doctors working in government hospitals across Karnataka submitted their resignation to the Department of Health and Family Welfare here on Monday, hours after staging a protest against their “unhappy” work conditions.
There was, however, confusion as doctors sought to submit resignations. Department officials refused to accept group resignations and said that each resignation form should bear the signature of the respective doctor.
They also insisted that the resignation form must clearly state that the doctors are “resigning out of our own will” and not “because we are dissatisfied with the job.”
Healthcare services across the State were affected as hundreds of doctors converged at the Freedom Park here to protest for a pay rise, regular supply of medicines, filling of vacancies and proper work hours.
On Sunday, the Karnataka Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) had said its members would stage a protest in front of the Department of Health and Family Welfare office at Anand Rao Circle.
But with the police imposing prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the CrPC within a one-km radius of the area, the protest took place at the Freedom Park. Over 100 police personnel, led by two DCPs, were deployed to ensure no untoward incident occurred. The protest went off peacefully.
During the protest, the KGMOA’s general body gave a call to doctors to resign en masse. Doctors were asked to personally visit the department’s office and submit their resignation area-wise under Mysore, Gulbarga, Belgaum, Bangalore Urban and Bangalore Rural sections.
Addressing the protesters, Dr H?N?Raveendra, president, KGMOA, said, “If the government takes an extreme step and accepts our resignations, we will set up co-operative hospitals in the respective taluks and serve there. We do not intend to inconvenience the patients.”
Minister for Health and Family Welfare, U?T Khader, told a press conference in the evening that the resignations had neither been accepted nor rejected.
“They (doctors) would be served notice if they do not return to duty tomorrow,” he added. Khader said the protesters had requested him that they wanted to meet the chief minister. “This is most likely to happen tomorrow,” he added.
The minister was, however, sceptical if all the resignations were self-motivated. “Many doctors have called me and said they were forced to resign. We will look into all these aspects and then take a call,” he said and added that the government would try to meet most of the 12 demands put forth by the KGMOA.
Doctors' strike takes a toll on healthcare
Patients bore the brunt of the doctors strike in various government hospitals on Monday. Most of the government doctors from across the State had gathered at Freedom Park in Bangalore to stage a protest, leaving the patients waiting at various City hospitals helpless. While emergency services remained mostly unaffected, specialised care was not available to the ailing.
It was an endless wait for Mangala Gowri on a bench at KC General Hospital. The woman was with her one-year-old child, not sure if any doctor would attend to her husband who had to undergo hernia operation.
“We are here since 9 am. I was told that there is some protest happening but did not know that the wait would be this long. By noon, we were informed that the operation that was scheduled for today will only be performed a week later,” she said.
Senior citizens and children were not spared the agony either. Sixty-five-year-old Danamma, a resident of Srirampura was sent back after a two-hour wait. Her cousin who accompanied her said, “We are told that the doctors are on strike. We have no choice but to go back now.” According to sources in the hospital, just eight out of 50 doctors reported for duty on Monday.
It was a similar situation at many other major hospitals in the City that are run by the Department of Health and Family Welfare. At K?R?Puram General Hospital, just three out of nine doctors rendered services. At least 300 patients were treated as out patients at the Hospital. Even as parts of the State were worse hit, the City hospitals were better off, thanks to the medical college hospitals.
While in most places patients were sent back home untreated, in a few other cases, they were referred to Medical College Hospitals. Patients who came to Government HSIS Gousia hospital were referred to Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital.
The Hospital that sees at least 100 out patients daily, could only cater to 10 patients on Monday with just two doctors working.
Doctors working under National Health Mission were also summoned by the officials of health department to render their services at various hospitals.
The situation remained near normal at Jayanagar General Hospital as all the 48 doctors reported for duty. However, sources in the Hospital told Deccan Herald that the doctors did participate in the protest for a short while but reported for duty thereafter.
At a meeting convened in Vidhana Soudha, Chief minister Siddaramiah said that the government was open to talks with the striking doctors. “Even I am willing to meet them and discuss the issue,” he added.