Doctors' strike hit services in Telangana, Andhra

The nationwide strike called by the Indian Medical Association (IMA) to protest the attack on doctors in West Bengal affected medical services in government and private hospitals in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

The out-patient services at major government hospitals like Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi Hospital and Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS) in Hyderabad came to a standstill.

Hundreds of patients who came to these hospitals from various parts of the state had to face hardships as doctors stayed away from their duties and participated in protests condemning attacks on their colleagues in West Bengal.

Doctors boycotted all services except emergency at the government and corporate hospitals and nursing homes.

Doctors at Osmania Hospital staged a protest, demanding punishment to those involved in the attack. They were carrying placards with slogans like 'no security no service' and 'suffering but still serving'.

At the protest held at Gandhi Hospital, the doctors demanded stringent law to deal with the attacks on their fraternity.

Out-patient services also came to a halt at government and private hospitals in the rest of Telangana.

Patients suffered in Andhra Pradesh as doctors struck work in response to the shutdown call by the IMA. Doctors at hospitals in Vijayawada, Guntur, Visakhapatnam, Tirupati, Kurnool and other places boycotted their duties and staged protests.IANS