Even two days after the junior doctors resumed imparting essential services, patients continued to be denied treatment at several medical colleges in Calcutta.

The junior doctors of Bengal’s government medical colleges resumed partial duties after a 42-day cease-work on Saturday.

But as Metro visited several colleges on Monday, the problem of patients either being denied treatment or being made to hop from one college to another continued to unfold.

This newspaper encountered similar harassment of patients across the government medical colleges during the continuance of the cease-work.

Sujan Naskar, 19, a resident of Joynagar, who met with an accident on Monday morning was denied admission at Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital (CNMCH).

“My son met with an accident on Monday morning. We took him to a government hospital at Baruipur where the doctors gave him primary treatment and referred us here for his further treatment,” said Pasupati Naskar, Sujan’s father.

“The doctors at the medical college said he needed to undergo emergency surgery on his left leg but they said his surgery could not be conducted here. We sought to know from them why the surgery could not be held, but they did not give any answer,” he said.

“They referred us to SSKM Hospital. It is very painful for a father to travel with his son who needs urgent treatment,” Pasupati said in front of the emergency ward of Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital.

Pasupati did not get a written referral from the medical college.

A senior official of a government medical college in the city told this newspaper on Sunday while being asked about the patients being denied treatment, that no one should deny giving a written referral.

However, Pasupati’s experience suggested that the hospital authorities are still not providing written referrals.

It could not be known whether he could get his son admitted to SSKM as his number had been unreachable since Monday evening.

Arghya Maitra, the medical superintendent-cum-vice-principal of CNMCH, said: “I am not aware of any case where a patient who needed surgery was referred to another hospital.”

The official said beds, which had remained vacant during the cease-work, have been occupied now.

A surge in admission of patients could be seen on Saturday, the day the junior doctors resumed the essential services.

Renuka Mandal, 70, a resident of Basirhat, was turned away from SSKM Hospital on Monday afternoon and was asked to get admission to another government hospital.

A stamp on her OPD card read: “Regret No Bed Vacant”.

“My wife needed surgery on her left foot. We came to SSKM in the morning, but could not admit her. Those present at the emergency ward told us that no beds
were available and asked us to take her to either NRS or Calcutta National Medical College and Hospital,” said Jayanta Mandal, Renuka’s husband.

Jayanta, who is a fisherman by profession, said: “It is not possible for a family like us to go around visiting hospitals with such a patient. I do not earn much, The ambulance which we brought from Basirhat has cost us about ₹3,000 so far.”

“We are taking her to NRS Medical College and Hospital to try our luck there,” he said while leaving SSKM Hospital around 2pm.

Later, Renuka was admitted to the NRS Medical College and Hospital.

Pramila Biswas, 73, a resident of Howrah who suffered a stroke on Saturday, was referred to NRS Medical College and Hospital from Medical College Kolkata, where the family first took her.

“We took her to Uttarpara State General Hospital where she was admitted for three days. On Monday, the doctors at the emergency ward of the Medical College Kolkata said enough doctors were not available to treat her. They referred us to NRS,” said her son Atanu.

She was admitted later to NRS Medical College and Hospital.