Doctors start parallel OPD to attend emergency patients

Mumbai, Mar 3 (UNI) Even as the strike by the doctors entered its fifth day, they have decided to start a parallel OPD (outdoor patient department) centre outside the Nair hospital in South Central Mumbai from this afternoon to attend to emergency patients.

MARD (Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors) spokesperson Dr Yashodhan Deshpande said, during the general body meeting of the doctors last night, they decided to continue the ''indefinite strike'' till the Government gives written assurance of fulfilling their demands.

During the meeting, the doctors also decided to start the OPD outside the Nair hospital from this afternoon, he said.

''We will provide maximum possible services to public at OPD centre,'' he said and added that they have started parallel OPD with the help of donors, medical companies and social organisations.

Dr Deshpande, however, said the meeting with Medical Education Minister Dilip Valse-Patil yesterday was ''unfruitful.'' ''The minister agreed to the demand, but we want it in writing because since 1988 we are getting verbal assurance from Government, and only after that we would call-off the strike,'' he said.

Meanwhile, the major demands of doctors are -- increased stipend, filling up backlog of doctors, providing adequate security, decreasing their fees and modifying the teaching system.

Dr Deshpande said 27 hospitals across the State are now supporting their strike.

However, KEM hospital Dean Dr Nilima Kshirsagar said senior doctors and head of departments were attending to the patients and added that ''500 doctors are working in the hospital.'' The doctors had gone on strike on Monday, after relatives of some patients beat up two of their collegues, Dr Rohan Ainchwar and Dr Meena Parikh, at the KEM and Bhabha (Bandra) hospitals on Sunday.

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