Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 08 2010:
Striking employees of RIMS Hospital intensified their agitation today by closing down the Out Patient Department (OPD) from today great causing inconveniences to the needy people.
Employees of Regional Institute of Medical of Sciences (RIMS) Hospital commenced their cease work strike in protest against pay irregularities and alleged misused of funds of the hospital by higher authority from Saturday last.
Since Saturday they are suspending routine emergency service including operations for the last two days over and above the suspension teaching programmes and suspended OPD service from today as part of intensification of their agitation.
The decision to close down the OPD and suspension of other works except that of taking care of the patients treating at different wards of the hospital was taken by a joint meeting of Teachers & Medical Officers Association, RIMS, Association of Junior Doctors, RIMS, RIMS Nurses Association, RIMS and Non-teaching Welfare Association, RIMS.
The closure of the OPD has caused great incontinences to the general public particularly to those who came up from far of places who have no idea of developing situation in the Hospital.
"I am wondering what going on here when the ticket counters of the OPD were found closed.
The doctor who examined me last week told me to come today for further checking, 65 year old man, a resident of Pallel of Chandel who came up for treating his illness bewildered.
Like everyday today also hundreds of people including many from far places turned up today in the OPD for treatment but some went back helpless while others nearby converged at JN Hospital, Porompat, Imphal which is around four kilometer distance from RIMS.
With huge patients turned, the OPD counter of the JN Hospital, the state healthcare centre was over crowded.
Doctors there had a hard time to deal with the outnumber patients.
In Manipur, people usually targeted RIMS Hospital first as the healthcare centre run by the Union Health Ministry run while state run JN Hospital is considered to be next alternative even as many private hospital mushroom up as they cost high.