Begin typing your search above and press return to search.

Doctors� strike hits services across State

By Staff Correspondent

DIBRUGARH, Sept 3 - Medical services in Dibrugarh district was severely affected today following the 24-hour withdrawal of all non-emergency services by the medical fraternity in the wake of the killing of Dr Deben Dutta of Teok Tea Estate on August 31 by a section of the workers of the garden.

Barring emergency services, all forms of medical services in the Assam Medical College and Hospital (AMCH) and all other hospitals in the district including the private health establishments, were withdrawn as part of the Statewide protest called by the state unit of the Indian Medical Association (AMA). Assam Medical College Teacher�s Association, Junior Doctors� Association, All Assam Nurses� Association and AMCH Students� Union extended support to the protest.

The medical fraternity staged demonstration in front of the Out Patient Department (OPD) with placards and banners. �I don�t want to be next victim�, �white is turning red, save doctors�, �save doctors save yourself� and �stop violence against doctors� were some of the slogans displayed on placards and banners. It may be recalled that a couple of months back, one Dr Prabin Chandra Thakur was attacked in Dikom Tea Estate. Other recent attacks on doctors in the district include the assault on Dr Aizaz Hussain at Tata Referral Hospital, Chabua, Dr Madhurjya Saikia at Aditya Hospital, Dibrugarh and Dr Apurba Borsaikia at Panitola Block PHC.

Dr Bedanta Bhuyan, secretary, Indian Medical Association (IMA), Dibrugarh branch has sought strict implementation of the existing laws against assault on doctors so that lives of the medical practitioners are protected and medical services are ensured.

Our Staff Correspondents/Correspondents and ANN Service add:

JORHAT: The doctors� fraternity across the State withdrew medical services, excluding emergency services and took out candlelight light processions in the evening.

Dr Hemanga Baishya, State unit secretary of IMA, who was accompanied by the State unit IMA president Dr Satyajit Borah from Tezpur, State IMA finance secretary Dr Rajumoni Sharma from Nalbari and several other officer-bearers held a meeting at the Doctor�s Club here with other local representatives of doctors� associations. The meeting called for arrest and stringent punishment to the guilty and adequate protection to doctors.

SILCHAR: Protesting the merciless killing of Dr Deben Dutta, junior doctors as well as staff doctors of SMCH put the essential medical services on halt on Tuesday.

Barring emergency services, all other services including OPD were shut down as the doctors were seen echoing voices demanding justice and security for physicians at work.

BARPETA: Mdical services in Barpeta district were disrupted today following a 24-hour strike by doctors against the brutal killing of Dr Deben Dutta.

Faculty members in the Fakharuddin Ali Ahmed Medical College here desisted from classes and joined the agitational programme called by the Assam Medical Service Association. Doctors joined hands and did not perform routine duties. The students of the medical college also boycotted classes.

Later, a memorandum was handed over to the Deputy Commissioner of Barpeta demanding immediate action on their apprehension about security measures. The doctors of Barpeta district Civil Hospital at Kalgachia also joined the daylong strike. All services except at the casualty were suspended during the day.

TEZPUR: As a part of the 24-hour withdrawal of medical services, excluding emergency, by doctors all over the State from 6 am today, the medical fraternity stopped all medical services resulting in a helpless situation for the patients.

In the evening, morning the untimely death of the doctor, the medical fraternity under the initiative of IMA, Tezpur Chapter organised a candlelight procession. Dr. AK Kalita, president of IMA, Tezpur briefing the media said that the Indian Medical Association reiterates its zero tolerance against any sort of violence on doctors, health workers and health establishments.

�It is painful on our part to express our serious concern repeatedly at assaults on doctors across Assam. On August 31, 2019 at around 4 pm, Dr Deben Dutta on duty at Teok TE of Jorhat district was brutally attacked by miscreants and killed while he was on duty. This recent incident has crossed all tolerable limits and the IMA has no words to condemn it.� He said that this is the third major incident of assault on doctors serving in tea gardens across Assam in recent times and �we are also witness to frequent such incidents in other health establishments on various pretexts.�

Demanding exemplary punishment to the culprits involved in the gruesome killing of the doctor, a memorandum was submitted to the Deputy Commissioner addressed to the Prime Minister of India.

DOOMDOOMA : The Doomdooma branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and the Assam Medical Service Association ( AMSA ) today ceased work completely in all the government hospitals, private nursing homes and chambers here for 24 hours except the emergency services from 6 am in protest against the brutal killing of Dr Deben Dutta.

The doctors and other medical staff staged a sit-in at Doomdooma FRU Hospital. Later, the Doomdooma branch IMA dashed off a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner of Tinsukia district through the Circle Officer of Doomdooma Revenue Circle. In the memorandum, Dr PK Sharma and D PJ Deka , the president and the secretary of Doomdooma branch of IMA demanded exemplary punishment for those who were involved in this brutal killing.

In the evening, the doctors and their families brought out a candlelight silent procession in the tea town as a mark of respect to the departed soul of Dr Deben Dutta.

The Tinsukia branch of IMA and AMSA also staged similar protests in Tinsukia.

SIVASAGAR: Addressing a mammoth gathering of doctors and others in the profession this evening in front of Khemka Maternity Hall, Dr RN Tandon, former president, Indian Medical Association said that, �it is very unfortunate that a large section of our society does not understand the philosophy of medical profession. Now,it has become impossible to render medical services to the needy. We need support from everyone. Non-bailable warrants against the perpetrators is not security. We are not asking for money and anything else, but only security.� Dr Arun Mahanta, Dr Rsmesh Dutta, finance secretary IMA, Dr Hemanga Baishya, Dr Prasanta Pratim Sarma also addressed the condolence meeting which was attended by a cross section of the citizens of the town saddened by the incident.

Condemned: Meanwhile, the Forum of Former Medical College Teachers & Senior Doctors of Assam ( FFMCT & SDA) has strongly condemned the barbaric lynching of Dr Deben Dutta and demanded that stringent punishment be meted out to the perpetrators of this heinous crime. The forum has also conveyed its sympathy to the members of the bereaved family, said the secretary of the Forum Dr S Ali, in a press release.

Next Story