Week after medico's suicide, junior doctors at Guntur govt hospital refuse to call off protest

Patients at the Government General Hospital (GGH) in Guntur continued to suffer for the seventh day, as junior doctors and medicos continued their protest against the administration.

The junior doctors are protesting ever since, B Sandhya Rani, a PG student committed suicide by injecting herself with an anesthetic, blaming a senior professor VV Lakshmi of harassment.

Lakshmi is absconding and on the run, and the junior doctors are demanding her arrest.

The Hindu  reported that the GGH faces a number of problems, including a severe shortage of teaching staff.

"Most of the students are under a lot of stress and they do not have any window to ventilate their anxieties. The GGH has not conducted inter departmental meetings for some time where the issues could be discussed. The professors should also take the blame as they do not spend time with students and are busy with their own practice," a senior professor told the newspaper.

The protests escalated last week after Sandhya's newly wed husband Dr Ravi, a pediatrician in Nalgonda district, attempted suicide due to depression.

Ravi's family members rushed him to hospital where he is recovering.

At present, emergency services are being boycotted by the junior doctors.

According to reports, senior doctors and the nursing and paramedical staff have abstained from regular duties to support the junior doctors' protest. However, they have not boycotted emergency services.

“It is not just about Sandhya. At least eight complaints are pending against professor Lakshmi but no action has been taken against her as she has good influence. If we let it go, another medico would be targeted by her. Is the government waiting for another suicide?” one of the protesters told The New Indian Express.