12-hour fast by junior doctors disrupts OPD services at 4 medical colleges in Jharkhand

Dhanbad, Oct 15: A dawn-to-dusk (6 AM to 6 PM) fast by junior doctors on Tuesday severely impacted OPD services at four medical colleges in Jharkhand.

IMA Junior Doctors Network (JDN) state general secretary Dr. Raghvendra Kumar claimed that due to the 12-hour fast, OPD services were paralyzed at Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi, Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Medical College Hospital (MGMMCH) Jamshedpur, Shahid Nirma Mahto Medical College Hospital (SNMMCH) Dhanbad, and Medinirai Medical College Hospital (MMCH) Palamu.

The IMA national body had called for a dawn-to-dusk fast at all medical colleges across the country in support of the junior doctors at RG Kar Medical College Hospital Kolkata, who have been on a hunger strike since October 9.

Doctors from the Junior Doctors Networks (JDN), Junior Doctors Association (JDA RIMS), and Medical Students Network (MSN) in Jharkhand were directed to observe the fast in their respective medical colleges. The fast was most effective at RIMS Ranchi, where JDA president Dr. Ankit and vice-president Dr. Abhishek Hansdak led the agitation. Since almost all junior doctors and senior residents participated in the fasting stir, OPD services at RIMS were paralyzed.

However, the JDA exempted emergency services from its agitation. A senior office bearer stated that the decision to boycott OPD services was made during a meeting on Monday evening.

At MGMMCH Jamshedpur, president Dr. Ganesh Kumar and Dr. Jahanzeb Khan led the agitation. Although superintendent Dr. Shikha Rani called the agitating doctors for discussions to resume OPD services, they refused.

At SNMMCH Dhanbad, while the OPD was paralyzed, junior doctors under Dr. Junaid organized a parallel OPD near the library for poor patients. Nonetheless, the junior doctors simultaneously observed a 12-hour fast.

At MMCH Palamu, junior doctors sat in fasting under Dr. Snehal Harsh, which completely paralyzed OPD services. Since Phulo Jhano Medical College Hospital Dumka has only five junior doctors, OPD services were ineffective, and JDN members under Dr. Solanki observed a dawn-to-dusk fast.

However, the agitation by junior doctors at Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College Hospital Hazaribagh was ineffective.

JDN state secretary Dr. Raghvendra Kumar stated that the protest was highly successful and that junior doctors from Jharkhand’s medical colleges have shown solidarity with their Kolkata counterparts.