KIMS strike: Patients suffer as deadlock continues

Bengaluru: Forty-four-year-old Nagamma, who was suffering with a knee problem, went to Kempegowda Institute of Medical Science (KIMS) for treatment on Thursday, only to be told to visit the next day, even as she struggled to walk.She was accompanied by her husband Shivappa, and they had travelled more than 70 km from a remote village called Boohalli near Channapatna. Shivappa is a labourer, the sole bread earner of the family, and earns Rs 600 per day.

Shivappa had to take a day off to get his wife for the treatment spending almost his one day’s earning, only to return empty handed as a result of the ongoing protest at KIMS.

Doctors and medical staff members, led by Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha, are protesting against the KIMS management for failing to take action over unfair hiring policy.

It was a bad day for Shivappa, who reached the hospital around 1 pm, only to find that the doctors had gone for lunch. “I thought we (me and my wife) have lunch and come back. But I did not know the doctors would leave home so early,” said Shivappa. They came back at 3:30 pm and fond no doctors were available. The assistant asked them to visit again the next day.

However, the medical staff at KIMS said that a total number of 900 patients were treated till 4 pm on Thursday in several of the temporary Out Patient Departments (OPDs) that have been set up near the venue of the strike.

Dr Vinod Kumar, president of Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha Employees Association said, “There are around 250 doctors and 50 medical students who are working at these OPDs during the protest.”

Shivappa said that he was referred by one of his friends at his village. “Unfortunately I could not see any doctor and have to wait for my wife’s treatment.”

No end to strike
The Rajya Vokkaligara Sangha Employees Association intensified their protest by calling for indefinite hunger strike from July 18.

Dr Vinod told Deccan Chronicle that the assurance to remove excess staff was given by the management last time when we conducted protest. But they have failed to take action against them which is unfair.

“The Sangha has issued a show cause to all the members and also given letter to the Chief Minister to take the necessary action or dissolve the management committee before July 24.”

The protesters had alleged that the management had appointed over 670 non-teaching staff for 200 vacant posts.