Kozhikode: Patients who reached the Government Medical College here on Tuesday faced severe hardship as doctors boycotted the Outpatient (OP) wings, striking work for a day under the banner of the Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA).

With senior doctors staying away from duty, the responsibility of running the OP wings fell on junior doctors. Over 50 senior doctors participated in the strike. Meanwhile, senior residents, postgraduate doctors and house surgeons attended to patients, ensuring that OP services continued. Patients, however, complained that the absence of senior doctors affected the quality of their consultations and treatment.

For instance, a 70-year-old man who came to the Urology Department for follow-up related to a urinary obstruction surgery said he learned about the strike only after reaching the hospital. Realising that he would not be able to meet the senior doctor until the next OP session, he  soon returned home  with his son.

Similarly, a Balussery native who arrived at the Surgery OP with his father had to wait for several hours before being seen by junior doctors. A 65-year-old patient from Panoor, who came to consult a doctor at the Gastro Liver Clinic, refused to meet a junior doctor and left the hospital without consultation.

There was heavy rush reported in the Surgery and Orthopaedics Departments, where junior doctors were available to manage patients. The Medicine OP saw comparatively fewer patients, as did the Neuro Medicine, Gastro Liver, Urology and Interventional Clinics.

Those who came from distant areas, unaware of the strike, were the most affected. With fewer senior doctors available, these patients were forced to wait long hours for consultation and  treatment.

Despite the protest and the boycott of all OP wings, including super specialty departments, the doctors ensured that the functioning of ICUs and operation theatres was not affected. However, theory classes for medical students were disrupted for the day.

According to hospital authorities, 3,049 patients attended the OP units of the Medical College Hospital, Super Specialty Block and the Tertiary Cancer Centre on Tuesday, compared to 4,053 patients on the previous day.