DOCTORS STRIKE KILLS 50 IN RAJASTHAN

By P. Vijian

NEW DELHI, Sept 7 (Bernama) -- Deadly prescription. A state-wide protest by
doctors against alleged police brutality on medicos has left at least 50
patients, including infants, dead in Rajasthan.

Nearly 3,000 doctors from six government medical colleges have been on
strike
since last Saturday, after police baton-charged doctors and medical students in
the city of Jodhpur.

The incident was reported to have triggered after doctors and patients
clashed
at the MDM government hospital, when an injured patient allegedly misbehaved
with resident doctors, officials said.

Doctors from about 40 hospitals had demanded the dismissal of senior
policemen involved in the baton-charge and sought compensation for the injured
doctors.

But the boycott took a tragic turn as an increasing number of patients died
as
several of the city's medical services were crippled, as doctors continued
their protest.

A Delhi-based television reported that the death toll had reached 50 and
doctors were still adamant over reporting for duty.

Nearly 22 people have died in Jaipur and another 30 in Jodhpur, said the
channel, though state authorities are tight-lipped over the number of deaths.

Authorities are appealing to the doctors to resume work and putting in
place, a back-up plan to provide emergency medical services -- after the
agitated public started to protest in the streets.

"Even one death is not acceptable. We will try to resolve the situation by
this evening," state health and family welfare minister Dinesh Trivedi told
local media.

-- BERNAMA



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