JOIN USOut patient department (OPD) services at many private hospitals across Bengaluru remained closed on Friday due to the protest by doctors against Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Bill, 2017.
The OPDs in various hospitals were empty as patients were turned away from the hospitals saying that there are not many doctors in their out patient departments.
“There were only a few doctors in the OPD today. Most of the doctors went to take part in protest. We asked the patients to come later,” said Mallikarjuna S, head of operations, Mallya Hospital. Vikram Hospital ran its OPD for walk-in and, in-patient services with skeletal staff.
Dr Nagendra Swamy, advisor, Federation of Karnataka Private Medical Association, said that some of the hospitals had to close their OPDs while some worked with minimum staff.
“Some walk-in patients were asked to come back later, the protest did cause some inconvenience to the patients,” he said.
Dr R Ravindra, secretary, Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association, said that OPDs of most of the small hospitals and clinics were closed.