Patients left high and dry

CHENNAI: At 7am Sharadha Subramaniam got a call from a private hospital informing her that the pediatrician’s appointment for her two-year-old daughter had been cancelled. Sharadha, who had taken half-a-day’s leave to ensure that her child got vaccinated, was left frustrated. But she was one of the lucky few.
Most patients in other private hospitals and clinics were in for a rude shock on Thursday when they were told that doctors were boycotting work and would attend only emergencies.
Hospitals and doctors registered with the Indian Medical Association (IMA) said they had to honour the association’s call for a day-long strike to protest the killing of Tuticorin-based Dr T Sethulakshmi. Several doctors in the city closed their clinics. They attended only to emergency surgeries and in-patients.
Many patients were seen pleading with doctors to attend to them. “I may not die of fever or body pain, but for me it is an emergency. I need some medicines for relief,” said Prakash Anand, a 24-year-old businessman from West Mambalam. Sheela Shanmugam (27),who is pregnant, had taken the day off to see her doctor. “I read about the strike but since I had an appointment I thought the doctor would see me. I don’t know now when I will get another day’s leave,” she said.
A senior health department official said, “We have allowed the law to take its course. The accused have been arrested. We still don’t know what the demands of the doctors are. They aren’t protesting against the government. If they want police protection for each hospital, it can’t be given.” Doctors registered with IMA are demanding immediate action against the accused, a solatium of Rs 10 lakh to Sethulakshmi’s family and a police outpost outside every hospital.
IMA president Dr Prakasam said that though the Tamil Nadu Medicare Service Persons and Medicare Service Institutions Act was introduced by the state government in December 2008, no one has been punished. “The Act makes the offence non-bailable. There have been at least 50 cases of damages to hospitals and assaults on doctors. However, no action has been initiated against any of the accused. We feel that only when we protest will our demands be heard,” he said.