Healthcare services across Bihar faced a severe disruption on Thursday as government doctors launched a three-day strike, shutting down outpatient department (OPD) services in all state-run hospitals until March 29, 2025.

The strike, initiated by the Bihar Health Services Association (BHSA), stems from long-standing grievances over biometric attendance mandates, administrative harassment, staff shortages, and demands for better security, housing, and salary conditions.

The boycott began at 8 AM today, leaving thousands of patients stranded. At Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), one of the state’s largest facilities, long queues formed outside locked OPD doors as patients from rural areas, many of whom had traveled overnight, were turned away. Emergency services, however, remain operational, with doctors assuring that critical care will not be compromised.

Dr. Ranjit Kumar, BHSA General Secretary, stated, “We’ve given the government until March 29 to address our 11-point demands. If they fail, the agitation will intensify.” The association had warned of this action earlier in the week, signaling frustration with unfulfilled promises from the state health department.

The impact was immediate. In districts like Muzaffarpur and Darbhanga, patients expressed dismay as OPD closures forced them to seek costlier private care or delay treatment. Authorities have yet to respond officially, but the strike underscores deeper systemic issues in Bihar’s public healthcare. With no resolution in sight, the standoff threatens to escalate, leaving the state’s most vulnerable at risk.