Jaipur

The Resident Doctors of SMS Medical College, Jaipur are on strike since 7 days resulting in the near collapse of the healthcare services in the biggest government run hospital of the state. Resident doctors strike is getting support from other resident doctors assoctiation, IMA,UPCHAR and many other medical associations.

Why the residents doctors of SMS Medical College are on strike?

Dr Rajesh Kumawat, President of Jaipur Assocaiation of Resident Doctors informed The Pacemakers that the incident took place on 3rd april at around 5:45 pm in Kanwatiya hospital when a pregnant female came with the chief complaint of pain in the abdomen. She was gravida 3, with previous 2 normal deliveries. She was immediately attended by our 1st year resident and subsequently by 2nd and third year residents [ It was their 3rd day of duty in Kanwatiya hospital]. The woman was thoroughly examined. She was 3 cm dilated, cervical length of 2 cm. She neither had any recent ultrasound scan nor any baseline investigations and this was her first visit to the concerned hospital. The woman was extremely pale looking so the residents explained the high risk to her and her relatives and advised her for admission. Despite being a tertiary care hospital, kanwatiya does not have a provision of 24 hrs USG services and other routine investigations outside the OPD hours . So the patient was also suggested to go to nearby zanana hospital [ due to 24 x 7 availability of better facilities] in view of high risk pregnancy not in active labour with anemia with non availability of recent investigations. The relatives didn't have any means of transport so the on duty obgy resident had to write referral to help them reach zanana hospital as soon as possible via an ambulance. In this period, gradually her labour pains progressed and as soon as the hospital staff got to know about this they took her on a trolley and rushed her to the labour room. The patient got delivered in this transit on the trolley itself within the hospital premises. It was a precipitate labour. The cord was clamped and the baby handed over to the pediatrician. The patient was examined thoroughly and active management of third stage labour was initiated. Both mother and the baby were in good condition. During the whole incident there was no senior doctor present in the hospital. This patient was informed telephonically to the senior resident, she examined the patient after her arrival at the hospital and with her order the patient was transfused 1 unit PRBC.

The video of the patient getting delivered on the trolley was circulated in the media and got viral . The incident came to the notice of the administration and in order to save their own skin and cover up the inadequacies in the hospital administration they manipulated the residents to give written statements under pressure and suspended the resident doctors working there within the next 12 hrs.

The committee constituted on the issue by the administration suspensed three residents doctors which has irked resident doctors resulting in a protest that has now spread to other parts of the state.Resident Doctors associations of other colleges have supported the strike called by JARD.Meanwhile Rajsthan state IMA and Unite Private Clinics & Hospitals Association of Rajasthan have supported the strike of JARD.

Dr Kantesh Khetani,Spokesperson of UPCHAR says that making resident doctors scapegoat for problems occuring due to poor infrastructure and inadequate manpower in government hospitals must be stopped.The admistration must revoke the suspenstion order immediately.Resident doctors work in most adverse condions,their conerns must be addressed.

 

Meanwhile United Doctors Front Association has warned the state government that if the suspension of resident doctors is not revoked in next 48 hours UDFA will call for a nation wide protest.