OPD services are likely to remain shut in government hospitals across Bihar as doctors began a three-day strike on Thursday, leading to the closure of services over the failure of the Nitish Kumar-led state government to respond to several issues and demands put forwards by medics.
The OPD services in government hospitals will remain suspended for three days. This decision was made by the Bihar Health Services Association (BHSA) in response to various demands, including biometric attendance and administrative harassment. The strike is expected to cause significant distress to patients, particularly those from rural areas who depend on government healthcare facilities.
One of the key reasons behind the susoension of services include the issue of biometric attendance, which has resulted in the suspension of salaries for doctors in several districts. Other pending demands include the security of female doctors, accommodation arrangements in hospitals, and security measures in hospitals.
Speaking on the suspension of the OPD services following the doctors’ strike, the Director of LNJP Hospital Dr Subhash Chandra stated that they were operating the OPD, with 400 registrations, but suspended the services following the call from the association. However, other services will remain available.
The BHSA has called for a three-day boycott, emphasizing that they do not want patients to face difficulties. Emergency services will continue to operate as usual.
According to Dr Vinay Kumar, spokesperson for BHSA, repeated appeals to the Chief Minister Nitish Kumar-led Bihar government over critical issues, including the safety of doctors, salary concerns, posting in home districts and lack of basic facilities, have gone unanswered. “The government has remained silent on our demands, forcing doctors to boycott work. We have decided to strike for three days from Thursday,” Dr. Kumar said.
Doctors also cited an incident in Sheohar, where they were allegedly mistreated during a meeting with a District Magistrate, leading to further frustration. The strike has led to the suspension of OPD services in all medical colleges, Sadar hospitals, referral hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in all 38 districts of Bihar.
Patients with prior appointments for surgeries and treatments will either need to reschedule or have their appointments adjusted once the strike ends. “Poor patients, especially those from rural areas, will be the most affected as they cannot afford private healthcare,” a hospital official stated.
The BHSA has warned that if the government fails to find a concrete solution by March 29, the strike could escalate further. “If our demands are not met, we will intensify the strike in the state,” Dr. Kumar added.
With government hospitals being a lifeline for rural healthcare, the ongoing strike has raised concerns about access to essential medical services for the economically weaker sections.
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