OPDs shut down, till strike withdrawn

Out-patient departments (OPDs) in private hospitals and clinics in the City remained closed in the morning and afternoon hours on Tuesday, as part of the call given by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) for a nation-wide strike.

However, some doctors returned to their duties and OPDs at some hospitals were opened by after 3:00 pm, after the stir was withdrawn in the background of referring the National Medical Commission (NMC) bill to the parliamentary standing committee.

Opposing the proposal to replace Medical Council of India (MCI) with the NMC, the private medical practitioners closed OPDs and clinics since morning. However, the service at emergency care, pharmacy, operation theatre and in-patient wards was as usual. Hospitals displayed boards saying that black day was being observed by stopping OPD service for 12 hours.

Patients who came from remote places without having information about the strike were troubled. Nevertheless, the OPDs at Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences (KIMS) and Chitaguppi Hospital did not record much higher registration compared to their usual rush.