On Wednesday morning, homemaker Pragya Salvi was supposed to undergo an orthopaedic procedure for her broken leg. But then the resident doctors at Sir JJ Hospital declared their support for the state-wide strike called by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD). So now the Andheri-resident will have to stay in the hospital for a few more days until the doctors resume work in the Out-Patient and Emergency departments. "My aunt injured her leg and the surgery was scheduled today," said Prajakta Salvi, who came to meet Pragya on Wednesday. "They have told her that now her surgery will take place two days later." Like Prajakta, many people — relatives and patients — who went to public hospitals on Wednesday were unaware about the strike and the cancellation or delay of medical services. Around 3,374 cases were treated in OPD wards, 20 emergency operations were performed and 82 new cases were admitted into Sir JJ Hospital on Wednesday. However, a three-year-old was able to undergo an emergency neurosurgery procedure. "My son fell down from a ladder last night and suffered a head injury, " said Mangesh Kamble, a Saat Rasta resident, "He was shifted to JJ Hospital at night later in the night and this morning, the doctors told us that he needs surgery." The doctors are demanding a raise in stipend, punctual payment of the stipend, maternity leave and leave for convalescence after tuberculosis, and to oppose the NMC Bill. When no government officials met MARD members during the day, resident doctors planned to continue their strike indefinitely. However, there was a meeting between the two parties later at night, after which the government said it planned to impose the MESMA Act on Thursday, which gives the police to arrest doctors without issuing warrants. On day one, the strike affected all scheduled surgeries in civic and government hospitals. In OPDs and emergency wards, senior doctors and interns took over the procedures. All non-emergency surgeries were postponed. "The state government is taking a casual approach to our demands and being evasive about the stipend hike," said Dr Kalyani Dongre, president of central- MARD. "We have been forced to reconsider our compliance. Resident doctors at many peripheral colleges are not receiving the stipend regularly. The stipend must match those of resident doctors in central government institutes. A hike must be implemented once in three years. The government must arrive at a fixed solution to these issues." Meanwhile, at KEM Hospital in Parel, OPD cases dropped by 5%. Around 205 cases were treated in the Emergency ward and over 3,500 patients were treated in OPD. "Senior doctors attended OPD services and treated all patients," said Dean Hemant Deshmukh, "While the strike did not have any major effect on medical services on the first day, scheduled surgeries may be impacted if it continues." Meanwhile, an RTI activist filed a petition in Bombay High Court against the striking doctors. While citing incidents of how patients suffered during strike called by MARD in 2009. It contends that such mass strikes impact weaker sections of society who cannot afford private healthcare. The petition will come up for hearing on Friday.

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