All India doctor’s strike: Private hospitals shut down outpatient services in Udupi

With all private hospitals, nursing homes and clinics having closed down their outpatient department services in Udupi district in response to a strike call to protest against the recent assault on two doctors in West Bengal, on June 17, the Department of Health and Family Welfare has made all arrangements to deal with the situation.

The Department has directed all doctors, nurses and supporting to be on duty especially during the daytime at the taluk government hospital and Community Health Centres and also the Primary Health Centres.

“We have cancelled the leaves of doctors and other staff and they are all on duty. More staff has been deployed for casualty and outpatient wards. They have been prepared to handle any additional load today. Even those working on shifts have been adjusted to take care of the daytime needs. Even PHCs have been prepared for additional load,” M.G. Rama, District Health and Family Welfare Officer told The Hindu.

Madhusudhan Nayak, District Surgeon, told The Hindu that the leaves of all doctors in outpatient department at the District Government Hospital had been cancelled and they were on duty since the morning.

Though the out-patient services at the Kasturba Hospital in Manipal, Dr. T.M.A. Pai Hospital in Udupi and Dr. T.M.A. Pai Hospital in Karkala are closed, the emergency services are available for the patients as usual at these hospitals.