Doctors' strike in Bihar enters fourth day

Patna, Nov 13 : Hundreds of patients continued to suffer as the strike by junior doctors in Bihar's premier government-run hospital entered its fourth day here Friday, officials said.

About 500 junior doctors have struck work demanding payment of the increased stipend that was promised to them earlier. Their strike has already claimed three dozen lives, relatives of patients allege.

Emergency services have been hit and dozens of surgeries have been postponed. Hospital authorities have sought the help of the health department to cope with the situation and have asked for 100 doctors from various parts of the state.

The state government has made no serious effort to end the strike. Its priority is to host the three day 70th session of the Indian Road Congress which begins Saturday, a government official said.

"At present the government's focus is branding its image during the session. It has little time to end the doctors' strike that has affected hundreds of patients," the official said.

Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi or top government officials has not yet made a statement on the strike. "They are more concerned about impressing the nearly 1,500 delegates from different parts of India and abroad," Gopi Sahni, a relative of a patient here, said.

Meanwhile in the last four days, the Patna Medical College and Hospital has witnessed an exodus of patients, mainly those who can afford expensive private clinics. A number of poor patients, who came for treatment from across the state, have been victims of the ongoing strike.

"Hundreds of poor patients were left at god's mercy. They have been praying for divine blessings to end the strike," a hospital official said.

Meanwhile, the striking junior doctors said they were forced to go on strike as the government was not sticking to its promise.

"In August after an assurance from the Bihar government of a hike in stipend, we withdrew our five-day-long strike. But we were not paid," said a doctor.

The state government has asked the hospital authorities to hold a meeting with the junior doctors and persuade them to end the strike.

State Health Minister Nand Kishore Yadav has described the strike as unjustified.

--IANS