Indian Medical Association held a pan-India doctors strike on Monday in solidarity with the doctors protesting in West Bengal. Healthcare services continue to be disrupted due to the strike.
Patients were seen standing in long queues waiting for the doctors to get back on duty and give them proper treatment, in front of Sir Sunderlal Hospital in Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi.
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"I came all the way from Gorakhpur to get a good treatment for my mother in this hospital. We got to know that doctors have gone on a strike and the authorities also don't know when they will get back on their duties. My mother is extremely ill and I feel helpless in this situation" Vinay Kumar Upadhyay from Sir Sunderlal Hospital told .
Some extremely ill patients were also seen sleeping in the hospital corridor, seeking urgent treatment.
"They should have at least hung a board or notice in front of the hospital premises that the doctors won't be available for two or three days. Patients are facing a major problem due to this strike and the authorities are also not doing anything" another patient Narendra Kumar told .
On the other hand, doctors at Guwahati Medical College in Assam held a strike today, wearing doctor's coat and stethoscope around their neck, demanding for immediate government action and stop violence against the doctors across the country.
"We strongly condemn such heinous incidents against the doctors and we strongly support the doctors of West Bengal. We dedicate our life and our time to serve the general public and I request them to cooperate with us and keep a good doctor-patient relationship" Guwahati Medical Students President Kumar told .
"We demand a safe working environment for all the doctors across the country, especially for the doctors serving in a government hospital. The government should provide us with proper security and police personnel to take care of our security. Dr Hitander Talukar told .
Doctors in several other parts of the country are holding a protest today in the wake of violence against doctors in West Bengal.
Doctors at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Ranchi in Jharkhand, King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow, All India Institutes of Medical Sciences in Bhubaneswar and AIIMS Bhopal also held a strike on Monday.
( With inputs from ANI )