Raichur,Feb 27 (DHNS): Medical services in the town were affected on Thursday as private hospital began their indefinite strike demanding action against frequent assaults on the doctors.

Doctors of around 35 hospitals and more than 180 clinics held a meeting at the office of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and decided to continue with their strike till their demand was met. IMA state spokesperson Dr A V Mali Patil said that at least one doctor was being assaulted every month in Raichur district. He said that law enforcing authorities had not taken any action against the miscreants in spite of four such assaults till date.

“Doctors always make honest attempts to cure a patient of his illness. The treatment is successful if the patient is brought to the hospital in the earlier stages. But it cannot be the case if a patient is brought to the hospital in an advanced stage of illness. It is inhuman to assault doctors when such patients do not survive despite best treatment,” Dr Patil said. The staff of diagnostic centres too joined the strike since they are the members of Indian Medical Association.

Patients who had come from rural areas bore the brunt of the strike. Some were seen waiting near the hospitals in the fond hope that the doctors would turn up.

However, after realising that the doctors were on a strike, the patients approached Raichur Institute of Medical Sciences. Private clinics had pasted a notice on Wednesday night itself informing the patients of their strike.