Services at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), the largest government hospital in Bihar,  have been hit for three days as junior doctors struck work demanding action against a senior professor.

The junior doctors alleged that some of them have failed in examinations as they did not prescribe medicines of a particular brand, as directed by the head of the orthopaedic department. The accused doctor was not available for comments. Sources in the hospital said the orthopaedics department has been badly hit since July 5 but other facilities are functioning quite normally since very few junior doctors of other departments have boycotted work.

"Efforts are on to resolve the issue with the striking doctors. The district civil surgeon has been requested to provide us with manpower to meet the deficit," PMCH Superintendent Rajeev Ranjan Prasad said. The head of the orthopaedic department used to put pressure on the juniors to prescribe medicines of a particular brand and those who did not comply with his diktat failed in their examinations, the agitators claimed. The hospital authorities have ordered an inquiry in this regard.