Bengaluru: The usually bustling corridors of private hospitals in the city were largely deserted on Friday as doctors stayed away in protest against the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments (Amendment) Bill, forcing them to shut down their outpatient departments (OPDs). While several patients had postponed their appointments, others who turned up, were either sent back home or treated in the emergency wing. "Some of the people, who were not aware of the strike, were directed to the emergency, where we evaluated them. But those who did not require immediate attention were asked to wait until tomorrow," said Mr Joseph Pasanga, COO, Narayana Health City, which in the normal course sees close to 2000 OPD cases every day. The scene was similar at Manipal Hos pital, where patients trickled in, although on a normal day it sees between 1500 to 1800 patients in the OPD.
Fortis Hospitals, Benga luru, which on an average treats 950 cases in the OPD across its four centres in the city, also joined the state-wide protest called at the emergency general meeting of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Association of Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes in Bengaluru. All its outpatient cases and elective surgeries were postponed to a later date. The St John's Medical College Hospital had a fully functional emergency and trauma care department, but saw very few outpatients, unlike on a normal day when it treats 2500 in its OPD. Chinmaya Mission Hospital (CMH) in Indiranagar, operated with a skeletal staff owing to the strike. "Since all our doctors come from private hospitals, we too had to shut down the OPD. But our emergency and labour wards are running," said Dr Mural, the hospital’s chief casualty officer.
These hospitals were among the over 45000 hospitals and private clinics across the state, which participated in the strike that will continue until 8 am Saturday. The health ministry, however , remained cold to the protest. "There has been no response from the health department. We have called a meeting at the IMA headquarters of all our 177 branch members and specialist associations like PHANA and the paediatric association to discuss our future course of action. But if the government remains adamant, we may launch an indefinite strike," warned state secretary of IMA, Dr B Veeranna. IMA sources attributed the government’s cold response to “ votebank politics.” “ The government is adamant about tabling the Bill during the winter session of the legislature and any amount of pleading will not make a difference," they added regretfully.
