Patients in Jharkhand faced harassment as doctors at government and private hospitals in the state, barring a few corporate hospitals in Jamshedpur, went on a 12-hour strike from 7am on Saturday to protest against suicide of a Rajasthan-based gynaecologist having roots in the state.

Several patients who had unknowingly gone for consultations at hospitals, either had to return home or seek treatment in packed emergencies.

Doctors in the state went on strike on the call of Indian Medical Association Jharkhand unit and Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHSA) to protest against the suicide case of Dr. Archana Sharma in Dausa, Rajasthan in March. Dr. Sharma was a gold medallist from 1998 batch of RIMS Hospital in Ranchi.

“All doctors, be it private or government, did not attend their duties at OPD as the doctor fraternity is angry over the incident and want implementation of Medical Protection Act in Jharkhand too ,” said IMA Jharkhand secretary Dr Pradeep Singh.

However, corporate hospitals like those owned by Tata Steel and its subsidiaries in Jamshedpur operated its OPD as usual.

RIMS Ranchi spokesperson Dr D. K. Singh said that they had made prior arrangements of doctors on roster at emergency and in-patient services.

“There was no problem as we had planned a roster of doctors on duty at emergency and in-patient service at various departments,” said Dr Singh.