Udupi, (The Hindu): The District Government Hospital, Taluk Hospitals, Community Health Centres (CHCs) and Primary Health Centres (PHCs) in Udupi district witnessed a lesser inflow of patients on Friday when compared to Thursday.

Though all private medical establishments were closed in Udupi district in protest of the amendments to the Karnataka Private Medical Establishments Act, 2007, out-patient services at three private hospitals — Kasturba Hospital in Manipal, Dr. T.M.A. Pai Hospital in Udupi and Dr. T.M.A. Pai Rotary Hospital in Karkala — were open on Friday.

Sources at Kasturba Hospital said that these three hospitals were open on account of the Private Hospitals and Nursing Homes Association deciding to resume work on Friday because the High Court of Karnataka on Thursday had asked private hospital doctors to withdraw their protest in view of the inconvenience caused to the public.

Madhusudhan Nayak, District Surgeon, told The Hindu that there was a lesser rush at District Government Hospital on Friday when compared to the rush witnessed on Thursday. About 700 patients availed the out-patient services at the hospital. Usually, about 500 patients are treated at the Out-patient Department. However, the Emergency and Trauma Ward was very busy. It received about 70 patients, he said.

Rohini, District Health and Family Welfare Officer, told The Hindu that there was lesser rush at Taluk Hospitals in Kundapur and Karkala and also in the six CHCs and 61 PHCs in the district. The total number of persons who availed outpatient services at all these healthcare units together was 4,262, while 139 persons had been admitted as inpatients.

Both Dr. Nayak and Dr. Rohini opined that the lesser rush at the government healthcare institutions might have been because the three private hospitals had opened their out-patient services.