Patiala, June 30 -- Accusing the Punjab government of making medical education unaffordable, resident doctors and MBBS interns of government medical colleges in Punjab have announced to shut down outpatient department (OPD) services across the state from Monday. Medical services in all three tertiary healthcare institutes in the state are likely to be hit, but emergency services would remain functional, they said.

It is the Punjab government's recent move to impose a Rs.20 lakh bond on MBBS students and a significant hike in the tuition fees that has prompted the doctors to go on the strike. HT had on June 19 reported about the state government's bond policy for the students seeking admission to MBBS and BDS courses in government medical...