Doctors shut OPD, protest poor security in staff quarters

Ghaziabad: Doctors in three government hospitals — Combined Hospital, MMG Hospital and District Women Hospital — suspended OPD services for three hours on Monday morning to protest against poor security at the official quarters after a doctor's house inside Combined Hospital was robbed a week ago.
The protesting doctors have given police a deadline of Wednesday to arrest the culprits or have threatened to indefinitely suspend OPD services in all the government hospitals in the city.Close to 1,500 patients visit the OPD of these hospitals every day.
On March 1, the house of Dr R C Gupta was burgled while he was away on duty. "I was on OPD duty when my house was burgled around noon and the burglars decamped with about Rs 40,000 in cash and jewellery worth Rs 10 lakh," Gupta said.
"The fact that the robbery took place at noon shows how lax safety is in the place. In the past too, petty thefts have taken place from time to time on the hospital premises," Gupta said. "Police have not been able to make any headway in the investigation and under these circumstances, we cannot work and so have planned to suspend OPD services," he said.
Dr Dinesh Sharma, chief medical superintendent of Combined Hospital, said the OPD hours were from 8am to 2pm and as of now, the doctors have decided to suspend services only from 8am to 11am. "We have given an ultimatum to police to crack the case or else services will be totally suspended," he said.
When asked about effect on patients, Sharma said, "We are aware of the hardship patients will go through but we are left with no other option than to resort to protest. Emergency services will continue as before."
Police have assured doctors that the culprits will be caught as soon as possible. "We have rounded up three people and they are being interrogated. We are also keeping an eye on the movements of the gang that are active in the area," said Salmantaj Patil, SP, City.