The protest by MBBS intern doctors in Madhya Pradesh intensified on Tuesday as demonstrators continued their agitation over a demand for higher stipends, with regular outpatient services affected at Hamidia Hospital in Bhopal.

Intern doctors who had been protesting since Monday remained on the road near Kamla Park through the night. The agitation followed a confrontation with police on Monday when doctors attempting to march towards the Chief Minister’s residence were stopped and water cannons were used. Reports also said a doctor was injured during the confrontation. 

The interns are seeking an increase in their monthly stipend from around ₹14,337 to ₹30,000 and have been pressing for a written government order on the issue.

OPD services affected at Hamidia

The continuing protest has affected routine medical services at Hamidia Hospital. Intern and junior doctors have stayed away from regular OPD work, while elective operation theatre services have also been affected.

Emergency services, however, have continued, according to reports. The disruption has particularly affected patients who had arrived at the hospital for consultations, investigations and routine treatment.

Long queues were reported at the hospital as the availability of junior doctors in the OPD was reduced. Patients and their attendants also faced difficulties because access to the hospital was restricted amid the protest and police deployment.

Doctors remain at Kamla Park

The protesting interns have continued their sit-in on the road near Kamla Park, demanding direct dialogue with the government.

The doctors have said they want the government to formally address their stipend demand rather than provide only verbal assurances. Reports from Monday said the interns had sought an increase from ₹14,337 to ₹30,000 and were asking for a written order before ending their agitation. 

The protest site has also become a focal point for traffic restrictions in central Bhopal.

Police deployment, traffic restrictions

Police have increased security around the protest location and roads leading towards the Chief Minister’s residence have been barricaded.

Traffic movement in parts of the old city and adjoining areas has been affected as protesters remained on the road. Reports on Monday said congestion extended across alternative routes, with a traffic jam reported over a stretch of around 1.5 km from VIP Road towards Polytechnic Square.

On Tuesday, commuters in areas around Kamla Park, Royal Market and routes connecting the old city were also facing restrictions and slower movement.

Dispute over Monday's police action

Monday's confrontation remains a major point of contention between the protesters and the administration.

The doctors alleged that police used force against them during their attempt to move towards the Chief Minister's residence. Police, meanwhile, said the water cannon was used after protesters crossed or attempted to cross barricades and there was a confrontation near the hospital's emergency access area.

According to a police explanation reported after the incident, the action was taken after pushing and confrontation at the emergency gate. 

The dispute over the police response has added another layer to the original stipend-related protest.

Protest spreads beyond Bhopal

The agitation has also received support from junior doctors and medical groups, with reports of demonstrations at MY Hospital in Indore against the police action in Bhopal.

The wider participation could increase pressure on the state government to open formal negotiations with the protesting interns.

For patients, however, the immediate concern remains the availability of routine healthcare services at government hospitals. With emergency services continuing but OPD and elective services affected, the duration of the protest will determine how significantly public healthcare delivery is disrupted.

The stipend figures and doctors' demands are reported as claims made by the protesting interns and corroborated by multiple reports. The police justification for the water-cannon action is presented separately from the doctors' allegations. The protest and service disruption are ongoing developments and may change as government-doctor talks progress.

A growing healthcare crisis at the Gandhi Medical College (GMC) has left over 1,500 cancer patients every month with nothing but consultations. Despite being the capital’s premier government facility, Hamidia Hospital currently lacks functional radiation therapy equipment, forcing the city’s most vulnerable residents to choose between long waiting lists at AIIMS or crushing debt at private centers.

The primary hurdle remains the procurement of the Dual LINAC machine, a high-tech radiation unit that has yet to be ordered despite the completion of a specialized bunker designed to house it.

Defunct Equipment and Referral Deadlocks

For years, the oncology department has been crippled by aging infrastructure. The old cobalt machine has been out of order for years and is now slated for decommissioning. Furthermore, the brachytherapy unit—essential for internal radiation—has remained shut for over a year.

As a result, even patients who undergo successful surgeries at Hamidia are referred elsewhere for follow-up radiation. For many, this means a bill of ₹1.5 to ₹2 lakh at private hospitals, a sum that is often impossible for families from economically weaker backgrounds to afford.

Medical Students Trained Without Practice

The crisis extends beyond patient care and into the future of Madhya Pradesh’s healthcare workforce. At GMC Bhopal, PG oncology students are reportedly completing their training without hands-on clinical exposure to modern radiation techniques.

The National Medical Commission (NMC) had previously cancelled recognition for four PG seats in oncology due to these deficiencies. While the seats were restored this session on the assurance that the Dual LINAC machine would be installed, the continued delay in ordering the equipment puts that recognition—and the students’ careers—at risk.

The Status of the ₹25-Crore High-Tech Bunker

The hospital administration maintains that progress is being made. A state-of-the-art radiation bunker, built to the strict safety standards of the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB), is now ready.

Key Features of the New Facility:

• Safety First: Concrete walls three meters thick to contain high-energy radiation.

• Dual Energy LINAC: A planned ₹25-crore unit designed to target tumors with precision while sparing healthy tissue.

• Future Scope: Proposals are also in place for a PET-CT scan unit to help with accurate cancer staging.

Why This Matters Right Now

The statistics for Madhya Pradesh are sobering. According to the ICMR cancer registry, nearly 3,500 cancer-related deaths occur every month across the state. In Bhopal alone, over 4,300 patients require immediate intervention.

When a major state-run institution like Hamidia Hospital fails to provide radiation therapy, it creates a bottleneck that the entire regional health system feels. While four other medical colleges in the state have already placed orders for their LINAC units, GMC’s delay remains a glaring exception.

Conclusion: A Waiting Game with Human Lives

The "coming soon" promises from the GMC Dean and hospital authorities offer little comfort to the 1,500 patients currently awaiting treatment. Until the Dual LINAC machine is physically installed and operational, the capital's largest government hospital remains a "consultation-only" center for a disease that waits for no one.