Private practitioners offer services at civil hospital

A co-ordination committee was formed at the meeting to tackle the situation arising out of the strike, comprising Olpad MLA Dhansukh Patel, Dr Jitendera Patel, Dr Chandresh Jardosh, Dr Shailesh Shah, Dr Mukul Choksi, in-charge superintendent of New Civil Hospital Dr Khadija Saifee and acting dean of Government Medical College Dr S K Bajpayee. The respective associations will call their meetings soon and submit a list of members, who are ready to volunteer, to Dr Saifee and Dr Bajpayee.

Meanwhile, president of JDA Dr Pritu Dhalaria, who was in Ahmedabad to meet the commissioner (Health and medical education) and Health Minister Ashok Bhatt, told Express Newsline that a general body meeting will be convened in Surat on Thursday where a decision to intensify the strike will be taken.He alleged that the in-charge superintendent was threatening Pathology students to join duties or face failure in examination.

He said he had contacted Dr Bajpayee and apprised him of the matter. Bajpyee, too, confirmed having received a complaint from the JDA president. Dr Saifee, however, could not be contacted. Dhalaria claimed the threats by Dr Saifee would be put up before the general body meeting.

To counter the development of general practitioners offering their services voluntarily, the JDA has decided to start a parallel OPD in front of the casualty department.

Incidently, they had last week announced that they would start a parallel OPD to ensure that patients do not suffer, but failed to keep their promise.