SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, August 22: Despite the ongoing boycott affecting health services in five medical colleges across the state, the management of Shahid Nirmal Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH), Dhanbad, conducted a parallel OPD for patients near the library on Thursday. This move was made in response to the ongoing strike by senior residents and junior doctors.
Healthcare services amidst boycott
SNMMCH Principal and Superintendent Dr. Jyotiranjan Prasad confirmed that the OPD began at 9:30 AM and continued until 1:30 PM. Approximately 300 patients, including men, women, and children, were treated. Dr. Prasad also noted that the parallel OPD would be available during the evening shift as well.
Since August 14, OPD services at all six medical colleges in the state, including Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ranchi, have been paralysed due to the boycott by resident doctors, junior doctors, and interns, who are protesting the murder of a trainee doctor in Kolkata.
“Having seen poor patients returning daily from college OPD unattended, I discussed it with senior faculty members on Wednesday and decided to run a parallel OPD in both shifts near the administrative building from Thursday (today) and it was conducted,” said Dr Prasad, the principal cum superintendent.
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The Heads of Departments (HoDs) personally attended to patients, taking on the primary responsibility for care. Principal Dr. Jyotiranjan Prasad was also present at the OPD venue to ensure that the services ran smoothly and without disruption from junior doctors.
While OPDs for gynaecology and other critical departments were held indoors, other departments conducted their OPDs under the library building, with offline patient registrations carried out on-site. The heads of all departments personally attended to the patients, with Dr. Prasad present at the OPD venue to ensure that junior doctors did not disrupt the service.
Failed negotiations and continued strike
Sources revealed that SNMMCH authorities held a meeting with the striking doctors on Wednesday, urging them to call off the OPD boycott. The management assured the doctors that all local safety concerns would be addressed. However, the talks were unsuccessful, as the agitating doctors insisted they would only end the boycott after the Junior Doctors Association of RIMS did the same.
