The cease-work by junior doctors continues to hit patient services and hurt people who often cannot afford treatment elsewhere.

A senior official of the state health department said about 7,000 planned surgeries have been cancelled across 26 medical colleges in the state since the start of the cease-work.

The cease-work started after the rape and murder of a 31-year-old junior doctor of RG Kar Medical College and Hospital on August 9.

The daily footfall in out patient departments (OPDs) of these medical college hospitals has dropped to 40,000 from 70,000 before the cease-work started.

There are between 8,000 and 10,000 junior doctors in government medical colleges and patient services are heavily dependant on them.

On Saturday, Chandan Sahu, 30, a resident of Howrah came to SSKM Hospital with liver ailments.

His brother Ramji said Chandan was under treatment at a private nursing home for a week. The family brought him to SSKM Hospital as they could not afford his treatment in a private facility.

“We came to the emergency around noon. No doctor even examined him. They told us that they will not be able to admit him and asked us to go to Calcutta National Medical College or Sambhunath Pandit Hospital (annexe of SSKM Hospital),” said Ramji.

Manowara Bibi’s 11-year-old daughter was supposed to undergo a procedure at NRS Medical College and Hospital to remove a tube that was inserted to help her excrete artificially.

The girl has recovered and the procedure to remove the tube had been scheduled.

“We asked doctors when the procedure would be
done. They said only god can say,” said Manowara Bibi, from Murshidabad.

“My husband is a daily wage earner. A lot of money is being spent every day for our stay and food in Calcutta,” she said.

“If the tube is removed, we can go back home. We admitted our daughter on August 12. Since then, it has been a month, the doctors are not sure when they can conduct the procedure. We have no other option but to return home as we cannot afford the expense here.”