Pvt doctors stir: patients left in lurch

Patients faced inconvenience following a protest by private hospital doctors against the proposed amendments to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act, on Friday.

The district has 12 private hospitals and over 200 clinics. Somwarpet taluk has no private nursing home. By closing down the OPD services in nursing homes at Madikeri and Virajpet taluks, the medical practitioners have extended their support to the IMA Karnataka unit.

As the talks with the government failed, the hospitals decided to close the OPD services on Friday.

Along with OPD, even X-ray, emergency, dialysis facilities were also not provided in three private hospitals in Madikeri.

A large number of patients were seen waiting in District Government Hospital and PHCs in the district. Many had to leave for hospitals in Sullia and Mangaluru for emergency treatment.

"On Thursday 10% of the hospitals had remained closed. On Friday 75% of the hospitals did not function," said a doctor. Medical shops situated adjacent to private hospitals wore a deserted look on Friday.