As the cease-work by the junior doctors entered day 22 on Friday, the government medical college and hospitals continued to grapple with the crisis.

Several patients are still being refused treatment.

Cancer patients and elderly people, who suffered stroke, were among those who had to go back or get admitted to private healthcare facilities.

Families of some of the patients said it was difficult for them to afford the cost of treatment in private hospitals or nursing homes.

A 61-year-old man who was suffering from blood cancer was refused admission to two medical colleges in the city — SSKM Hospital and Medical College Kolkata, on Friday.

Santosh Kayal, 61, a resident of Howrah’s Uluberia, was receiving treatment at a private hospital there for the past week.

On Friday, his family brought him to Calcutta with the hope to admit him at a government medical college and hospital. “We could not afford his treatment in a private hospital,” said a relative.

They first went to SSKM Hospital. “We had to wait for two hours outside the emergency at SSKM. The doctors told us that even if he was admitted, they could not guarantee what kind of care he would receive,” said Soumen Kayal, Santosh’s son.

“The doctors told us to
take him to Medical College Kolkata. When we came here, we waited for several hours hoping he would be admitted. But that did not happen,” said Soumen, while standing outside emergency at Medical College Kolkata.

He added that doctors there asked them to visit an OPD clinic on Tuesday for some haematology tests. Whether he would be admitted will be decided after the tests.

The family, however, was unaware when Metro spoke to them that the junior doctors had given a call for a pen-down programme on Tuesday and requested their seniors to stay away from OPDs.

Sheikh Ali Hidawatullah, 61, who suffered a brain stroke was denied admission at Medical College Kolkata and referred to SSKM Hospital on Friday.

“My father suffered a stroke this morning. We took him to Medical College Kolkata where the doctors told was that there was none to treat his case. They referred him to SSKM Hospital and said he would receive better treatment at SSKM. We are very worried because we do not know which hospital will admit him,” said Sheikh Pintu, son-in-law of Hidawatullah, while leaving Medical College in an ambulance.

Khodeja Bibi, 60, who is suffering from endometrial cancer, underwent a surgical procedure at NRS Medical College and Hospital. She needed further stay in a hospital but the doctors told the family to take her to another hospital. “My mother-in-law is suffering from endometrial cancer. The doctors conducted a procedure and then asked us to admit her to any other hospital,” said her son-in-law Sahaniyaz Sardar.

“If she has to be admitted, why not at NRS? Her condition is worsening and we had no choice but to admit her to a private nursing home in Basirhat,” said Sardar.

Health department officials said speciality care like cancer, neurology and cardiology are available only in medical colleges.

The delivery of these services is heavily dependent on junior doctors, who are on a cease-work. Senior doctors are giving the most necessary and emergency care while many planned surgeries are being cancelled, said officials.