UP resident doctors observe 2-hour OPD shutdown

LUCKNOW In solidarity with the 12-hour nationwide hunger strike of junior doctors on Tuesday, the UP Resident Doctors’ Association also called for a statewide two-hour pen-down period for medical students, interns and resident doctors in different medical colleges of the state.
This nationwide hunger strike was called by the IMA-JDN (Indian Medical Association-Junior Doctors’ Network) in support of all junior doctors in Kolkata who completed 11 days of their fast-unto-death, with three of the participants already having been hospitalised. In the light of this, UPRDA had also called for all OPDs (out patient departments) to be shut down for two hours, along with protest marches by junior doctors sporting black ribbons or bands on their arms.
While not all OPDs observed shutdown, several medical students abstained from their duties for the first two hours of the OPD timings in government hospitals of Lucknow. UPRDA president Dr Praveen said: “We got information from medical colleges in Prayagraj, Jhansi and other districts that interns and residents wore black ribbons in solidarity. But, we do not believe that doctors staged any significant protests.”
“Mostly faculty doctors and nursing staff attended to the OPD patients for those two hours at Civil Hospital, and in many departments of King George’s Medical University,” he said.
“We will continue to show our solidarity for junior residents demonstrating in West Bengal, grieving the loss of their colleague and friend. This 2-hour shutdown of OPDs was called in symbolic support of the demand for justice to the Kolkata rape-murder victim,” said Dr Vinay Kumar, office-bearer, UPRDA.