As doctors boycotted OPD services across the state on Saturday, as part of nationwide protest in support of their demand for implementation of a central act to prevent violence against doctors, patients suffered in different parts of Coal town as well as adjoining districts like Bokaro, Santhal Pargana.

The protest organised jointly by the state unit of Indian Medical Association and Jharkhand Health Services Association was spurred by the suicide of Dr Archana Sharma at Dausa in Rajasthan two days ago after demonstration against her following the death of a pregnant woman under her treatment.

The protesting doctors charged that Sharma had been forced to commit suicide by several people led by a BJP leader and former MLA Jitendra Gothwal who led series of demonstrations against her due to which she went in depression and committed suicide.

Talking to The Telegraph Online, Dr AK Singh, state president of Indian Medical Association, said, “The OPD boycott call remained totally effective today across the state including in state apital Ranchi as doctors boycotted the OPD services even in RIMS Ranchi.”

Jogesh Gambhir, President of the state unit of Association of Health Care Providers of the state, said, “We are protesting to demand implementation of central medical protection for doctors across the country as the cases of violence against the doctor are increasing day by day.

In Bokaro too the doctors boycotted the OPD services in Bokaro Sadar Hospital as well as different Community Health Centres as well as Primary Health Centers.

Debashish Das, a Chas based patient in Bokaro seeking OPD consultation in Chas Sadar Hospital said, “I was feeling feverish for a couple of days went to seek consultation of doctors in Bokaro Sadar Hospital but due to the work boycott I couldn’t take doctors advice and instead took medicine from pharmacy on the chemists advise and will again visit the hospital tomorrow.

The OPD service in state run medical college, Sahid Nirmal Mahto Memorial Medical College and Hospital in Dhanbad however remained operational like any other day as doctors attended the emergency services as well as OPD services.

The OPD services in other medical colleges of state including the Medinirai Medical College & Hospital (MMCH), Palamau; Sheikh Bhikhari Medical College and Hospital (SBMCH) Hazaribagh and Phulo Jhano Medical College and Hospital, Dumka remained disrupted as though doctors were present in hospital and attended the patients in emergency but they didn’t attend the patients in the OPD department.