Doctors's strike hits medical services in Rajasthan

Jaipur, May 25 (UNI) Jaipur and Bikaner observed a bandh today in protest against the 27 per cent reservation in higher educational institutes.

The bandh called by Youth for Equality, Swarn Aarakshan Manch and also by the Indian Medical Association (IMA), witnessed rallies, slogan shouting and a paralysed medical system in hospitals today.

The main markets in both the cities and the government hospitals were closed. With the closures, the services in the hospitals got hit hard.

In the walled city of Jaipur, 90 per cent shops were shut.

However, shops outside the walled city were open with traffic operating normally.

About 1,000 specialists, resident doctors and common people took out a rally from Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Hospital, passed through Ramniwas Bagh, Choti Chaupar and reached Badi Chaupar where a meeting was held. Doctors shouted slogans against proposed reservations and voiced their protests.

With the resident doctors on strike and most doctors participating in the rally, the services in the SMS hospital were effected.

Hospital sources said as most doctors were away for the rally, no operations could be conducted. Doctors had not gone for their usual rounds leaving the patients in a lurch.

Bikaner observed a total shutdown today with around 25 social and business organisations supporting the bandh. Industrial units along with food grain market remained closed today.

The services in PBM hospital and many private hospitals too were effected with doctors on strike.

Chief Medical and Health officer (CMHO) Dr Harimohan Meena said special arrangements had been made to keep the emergency services running.

A rally was taken out from PBM Hospital which marched to the Collectorate and many speeches against reservations were made.

Doctors of Kota's Maharaja Bhimrao Hospital took out procession and to Collectorate, handing over a memorandum to the Collector. In Kota doctors took out a silent rally from IMA hall and handed over a memorandum to Collector for the President.

Doctors belonging to Scheduled Tribes and Castes boycotted the rally and carried on with their duty.

IMA's Dr Sudhir Gupta claimed that most doctors in Kota were on strike.

Reports from Jodhpur say services were totally paralysed in Mathuradas Mathur Hospital, where the doctors had also organised a rally.

Reports from Alwar say 30 doctors from both the government hospitals in Alwar had taken group leave in protest against the reservation.

Chief Medical Officer Dr K K Agarwal, however, said the services had't been effected as emergency services were on and doctors continued to treat patients.

However IMA's district chief Dr R G Agrawal said the hospital services were almost paralysed today.

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