Resident Doctors strike claim 16 Life in Rajasthan

Government-run medical and health services in Rajasthan remained crippled as resident doctors' entered the third day of their strike today, amidst reports that 16 people have died due to alleged lack of medicare following the stir. The doctors' began the strike on Sunday protesting against alleged lathicharge on medicos in Jodhpur and it quickly spread to hospital in five districts, including Jaipur and Ajmer, official sources said. With health services badly hit in the affected areas, hundreds of patients and their relatives were seen running from one ward to another in search of doctors for treating those admitted in hospitals, they said.
In Jodhpur alone, sixteen patients, including six children have died in three state-run hospitals, the sources said. However, officials at the State Medical and Health Directorate here maintained that the deaths were not connected to the strike. Meanwhile, Health Minister A A Khan met senior officials and doctors to resolve the deadlock.
In New Delhi, Union Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi described the stir as "very, very sad", while expressing concern over reports that several people had died as a result of the strike. "Even one person should not die because of this kind of negligence and irresponsible behaviour of the doctors. Although Health is a state subject, I have asked my ministry to immediately look into the matter and get in touch with the state government," he said.