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Journalism of Courage
VADODARA, Oct 5: Members of the Junior Doctors8217; Association, whose stir entered the twenty-ninth day on Monday, even as a relay hunger strike touched the fifth day, picketed outside 14 of the 20 out-patients departments of the SSG Hospital and prevented their seniors from attending to patients.
The picketing began around 7 a.m. and continued till noon, during which time only emergency cases were attended to by residents and senior doctors at the medicine, surgery, gynaecology, paediatrics, orthopaedics and ENT department OPDS. Services at the 14 OPDS outside which the JDA was picketing, however, was completely paralysed, with patients bearing the brunt of the stand-off.
Agitating doctors raised anti-government slogans and distributed handbills among the public. Their parallel OPD near the hospital cycle stand and free medicine bank, however, continued operations. A spokesman said the best possible care would be extended to serious and emergency patients in any case.
Incidentally, Medical Superintendent Kirit Sheth had issued instructions to senior doctors not to attend to non-emergency cases on day one of the strike. A JDA spokesman, meanwhile, said the doctors8217; strike would continue till their demand for a hike in their monthly stipends was met 8212; reportedly the lowest in the country 8212; was met.
The JDA plans to take out a protest two-wheeler rally from the hospital to the M S University vice-chancellor8217;s office on Tuesday, along with students of the School of Physiotherapy, according to a spokesman.
