The sick and ailing continued to be turned away from several government medical colleges in Calcutta on Thursday as the cease-work by junior doctors continued.
Maya Sardar, 50, with a plastered left foot, was lying in an ambulance outside the emergency ward of SSKM on Thursday. Already suffering from a brain haemorrhage, she was left with a fractured left leg after an accident on Monday.
Maya, who lives in Basanti in South 24-Parganas, was first taken to Ramakrishna Mission Seva Pratishthan (Shishumangal). Following some tests, she was referred to SSKM Hospital.
“We took her to the emergency ward (of SSKM) where a plaster was done. From there, we were sent to the second floor of the emergency ward to see a doctor. But we could not find any. We were then told to visit the trauma care unit. But we could not find any doctor there,” said Madhu Sardar, Maya’s
brother-in-law.
“We were being told by the hospital authorities to visit the OPD on Friday to talk about her admission. But we can see the ongoing condition because of the cease-work by junior doctors,” he said.
Tapan Kumar Ghosh, 74, a resident of Salkia in Howrah, who is suffering from brain hemorrhage and blood clot, was lying on a stretcher for more than two hours in front of the emergency ward of SSKM Hospital. His brother, Tarun Kumar Ghosh, was standing by him.
Tapan was taken to the emergency ward, from where he was sent to the OPD of the neurology department. He was prescribed a CT Scan. It was done at the Bangur Institute of Neurosciences, attached to the state’s apex government hospital.
“After the scan, we were told to visit the second floor of the emergency ward to consult a neurosurgeon, but we couldn’t find anyone there,” said Tarun.
“We could neither find any doctor nor could we admit him. We were told by the hospital authorities to come again tomorrow, but on what basis should we come? My brother is not able to eat anything. He can barely move. In such a situation, is it possible to travel every day with him,” he said.
Ajija Bibi, 64, a resident of Maheshtala on the southwestern fringes of Calcutta, was lying on a stretcher near the emergency ward.
She was suffering from “a rheumatic disorder and an infection in the liver”. The medicine department OPS suggested “immediate admission”. But was denied admission at the emergency ward.
The stamp on her card read: “Regret no bed vacant”.
The Telegraph reported on Monday that bed occupancy, number of surgeries and footfall in the outpatient departments have gone down significantly at all government medical college hospitals in Calcutta because of the ongoing cease-work by junior doctors.
According to the state health department, at SSKM Hospital, in July this year, around 80 per cent beds were occupied. In August, after the ceasework started, the occupancy dropped to around 62 percent because of the protests.
“We were being told to visit the medicine department’s OPD. Upon visiting the OPD, the doctors told us to take her to the emergency ward as she needs to be admitted. But after we came to the emergency ward, we were told she could not be admitted because of unavailability of beds. They referred us to another government hospital,” said Saira Bibi, daughter-in-law of Ajija Bibi.
The family later took her to the Medical College and Hospital Kolkata only to be denied admission. She was asked to visit the OPD on Friday.
“Her condition is worsening and we are not even sure whether we should come again tomorrow or to visit a private doctor,” Saira said.
