Docters strike cripples medical services in AP

Hyderabad, Aug 22 (UNI) Medical services came to a standstill in Andhra Pradesh today as doctors protesting against manhandling of their counterparts in Visakhapatnam launched a strike.

Despite Medical and Health Minister K Rosaiah assuring that action would be taken against those, who had manhandled doctors in the King George Hospital (KGH) at Visakhapatnam, the doctors went on strike all over the state.

Emergency services were being maintained in hospitals notwithstanding the strike except at the KGH hospital.

Dr Srinivas of the Andhra Pradesh Doctors Association said minimum protection should be provided to doctors attending to patients.

Stating that a patient was brought in critical condition with a head injury in the KGH, he alleged that the 'drunken' relatives of the patient had assulated the doctors of the KGH.

There was a need for posting police personnel at the outpatient wards as well as in the Intensive Care Units (ICU), Dr Srinivas added.

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