RML hosp staff strike hits services

Lucknow: Scores of patients returned without medical aid from Ram Manohar Lohia Institute of Medical Sciences as contractual employees went on strike to press for revision of pay on Monday.
As per the estimate of the hospital authorities, more than 5,000 people were affected by the strike. "The rush of patients is maximum on Mondays as people queue from 6am to get registered," an administrative officer said.Striking contractual employees hampered work at pathology and diagnostic units as well. As a result, sample collection and tests like MRI could not be undertaken. Distribution of reports of tests conducted previously was also stalled.
Manoj Verma from Barabanki said, "My father was referred from the district hospital and has high fever. I don't know what to do as we could not get him admitted here." Verma later went to Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Civil Hospital while many patients went to private medical centres.
Hospital director Dr Deepak Malviya said demands put forth by the employees have been forwarded to the government. "The strike and holding patients to ransom is not fair," said the doctor."