SRN hosp doctors continue strike on 2nd day, demand security

Prayagraj: Health services at Swaroop Rani Nehru (SRN) Hospital in Sangam city were hit on second consecutive day as resident doctors continued their strike on Tuesday demanding security and the details of a colleague picked up by the police from Rampur.The strike left hundreds of patients, including those traveling from distant areas, without access to OPD and non-emergency treatments. The trauma centre, OPD, registration counters, diagnostic facilities and medicine distribution centres remained closed throughout the day. Families had to take back patients.Resident doctors remained at the protest site, and raised slogans in support of their demands. However, to prevent the situation from escalating further, senior MLN Medical college authorities and other medical officials arrived at the hospital and talked to the resident doctors on strike.Striking resident doctors asserted that hospitals are places for treatment, not threats and there would be no service if doctors are not safe. On Monday lawyers blocked roads at two prominent city routes including Eklavya crossing and Rana Pratap crossing demanding arrest of errant doctors responsible for advocate Jagriti Shukla’s fatal injuries.Meanwhile, the cremation of Jagriti Shukla was performed at Daraganj ghat amidst tight security arrangements on Tuesday.Jagriti’s father, Pawan Kumar Shukla, had on Monday night appealed to lawyers and others, stating that there should be no dharna and protest regarding the matter. He noted that any road blockades or strikes would only cause inconvenience to the general public and the family does not want any kind of commotion following her death.