Of course, the brief inspection guided by senior Sassoon officials, did not include a usually packed pre-emergency ward where 14 out of 25 beds were unoccupied today, or the half-empty surgery wards, where at least 20 additional floor beds have to be regularly laid out to cope with the normal intake of patients.

While Khanvilkar was full of praise about a major brain surgery conducted on a 14-year-old girl yesterday, no one mentioned that only one surgery was on today in the five major operation theatres (MOT), which operate on 10-12 cases daily, and that one of the two units in the MOT was shut, said a spokesperson of the Maharashtra Association for Resident Doctors (MARD).

The plastic OT, which takes in a minimum of four surgeries every day, carried out only dressings and not a single operation till mid-day. Similarly, the ophthalmology OT performed only one suturing and not a single routine case, said MARD representatives.

Exuding concern, Khanvilkar strode across corridors, with staffers and photographers scampering to keep pace, as he abruptly approached few startled patients at the out-patient department (OPD), a gynaecology, and orthopaedic ward, and one intensive care unit, asking ``I have heard that doctors are neglecting patients. Is that true? Do you have any complaints against the hospital?'' Or ``Don't worry, you'll be fine.''

``I do not believe that any patients are suffering,'' Khanvilkar addressed the press, adding that discussions with the MARD were out of the question unless they called off the State-wide strike. The State has agreed to settle their demands before March 31, he said. Reiterating that the state was ``definitely in trouble financially,'' Khanvilkar stressed that the State had agreed to a 20 per cent interim relief to the striking doctors' with effect from November 1. The MARD is demanding a 60 cent hike in the interim relief, which means a burden of roughly Rs 6.5 crore to the state exchequer.

Describing arrangements to cope with the strike, he said 255 medical officers had been currently requisitioned from primary health centres, and the Army and private sector were eager to extend their co-operation to the State.

In a brief closed-door meeting with two MARD representatives, while their colleagues raised slogans outside, Khanvilkar appealed to them to withdraw the strike, which has left approximately 100-250 doctors, lecturers, medical officers and professors in the hospital grappling with the duties of 300 resident doctors.

Govt is broke: Khanvilkar
The resident doctors are seeking interim relief to the tune of 60 per cent of their demand. This could mean just a few crore for the State exchequer. ``But the Maharashtra government coffers cannot bear the additional burden. The Government is not in a position to pay,'' Health Minister Digvijay Khanvilkar said today.

Speaking to press persons, Khanvilkar said that the State was facing debts running into the crores and State Government would have to differ a number of activities to mop up the required funds. ``Obviously we will do it. We've already started towards revamping the State economy,'' Khanvilkar added in the same breath.

When a State decision to pay the teachers was pointed out, the Minister stated that it was binding in wake of V Pay Commission.