B'lore: junior doctors go on indefinite strike

Bangalore, May 10: Outpatient services in three government hospitals in the city were hit as about 400 junior doctors resorted to an indefinite strike today in protest against a patient's husband assaulting a doctor for allegedly misbehaving with his wife.

The man had yesterday reportedly barged into the room of the doctor at the Victoria hospital here and hit him after his wife complained that she was sexually harassed when she went in for consultation.

Irked by the incident, the doctors of the government-run Victoria, Bowring and Vanivilas hospitals resorted to the agitation, sporting black badges.

Junior Doctors Association President Venugopal alleged that they were being harrassed many a time for no reason and generally the attackers had the support of politicians and influential people.

Such attacks affected the future of honest doctors, he added.

He demanded that suitable protection be provided to doctors on training and proper environment created for their smooth functioning.

Karnataka Medical Education Minister V S Acharya assured that he would look into the demands of the agitating doctors. However, citing yesterday's incident as the reason for agitation was not correct, he added.

Victoria Hospital Superintendent Ashok Kumar told UNI that services to in-patients were not affected. Doctors were willing to work overtime, if necessary.

A large number of poor patients had to return home without treatment due to the agitation. However, the doctors attended to emergency cases.

UNI