Times of India
07 September 2010
Jaipur, India

State Seeks Support From Army, Centre As It Grapples With Swine Flu
Twenty–one patients have died in the past 24 hours in Jodhpur due to alleged lack of treatment as 1,200 agitating resident doctors in the six medical colleges of the state continued with their strike on Monday.

The situation is likely to worsen as private practioners, nurses, senior residents and faculty in Jaipur and Jodhpur have pledged support to agitating residents. The entire fraternity has struck work in Jodhpur whereas private practitioners have threatened to join the strike in Jaipur from Tuesday.

Junior residents went on strike from Saturday night protesting police lathi–charge against a few of their colleagues in Jodhpur. The police resorted to lathi–charge to control a few residents, who were trying to disrupt treatment to patients at Mathura Das hospital after a brawl between attendants of a patient and a few on–duty doctors took place.

"We have put forth four demands," said Dr Krishnakant Sahu, president of Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors. The demands include termination of cops responsible for lathi–charge, security to doctors, withdrawl of cases against 33 resident doctors and compensation to injured students.

Moreover, the state is under grip of swine flu as 28 deaths have been reported this season. To contain spread of flu, the government had enforced the epidemic act. Fourteen people, including seven children, died on Sunday. Another seven died on Monday. The medical fraternity continued with the strike though the government made fervent appeals, asking them to resume work.

State health minister, Emamuddin Ahmed alias Durru Mian said that they will seek support from Centre, army and ESI doctors will also be roped in. "We have appealed to agitating doctors to resume work. At the same time, we have worked out a contingency plan under which we are seeking help from army and the central government," he said.

The minister said that they had received reports about deaths caused by negligence. "But it is yet to be confirmed," he said adding that serious action would be taken against those responsible if confirmed. Chief minister Ashok Gehlot called a review meeting on Monday and asked for speeding up efforts to resume proper services.

Bad To Worse

• Private practioners, nurses and faculty in Jaipur and Jodhpur are supporting the strike. Private practioners will go on strike from Tuesday if the demands are not met
• Junior residents went on strike on Saturday after police lathi–charged some of their colleagues in Jodhpur when they were trying to disrupt treatment after a brawl between a patient’s kin and doctors