Jaipur, Sep 7 (IANS) The strike by about 1,200 resident doctors in Rajasthan continued for the third day Tuesday, crippling services at all six government medical colleges and their affiliated hospitals amid reports that around 55 patients have lost their lives during the stir.

While the outdoor patient departments (OPD) have been severely affected at all the hospitals following the strike that began Sunday, the indoor patients have been left to the mercy of nursing staff.

The situation took a turn for the worse as senior doctors also supported the strike. Doctors are protesting police baton assault on doctors at Jodhpur's M.D.M. Medical College following a minor scuffle Saturday night.

The government-run medical services have been hit in Jaipur, Jodhpur, Bikaner, Ajmer, Kota and Udaipur. Jodhpur is the worst hit by the strike.

According to local media reports, at least 55 people, including seven infants, have died in Rajasthan due to lack of proper medical care at the government hospitals since Sunday. The state government has not confirmed the number of deaths.

'We are not sure about the number of deaths...we cannot say for sure that these deaths have occurred due to the strike. It is to be probed as we have to verify facts,' said state Health Minister A.A. Khan.

'Our priority is to provide medical care for the patients. We are making alternate arrangements in all the hospitals so that patients receive the best possible treatment,' he said.

'We also appeal to the doctors to come back to work,' the health minister said, adding that, if necessary, the state government would invoke the provisions of the Essential Service Maintenance Act (ESMA) against the striking doctors.

The protesting doctors, however, said their strike would continue till the police officials responsible for the baton-charge on them are suspended.

'We have called the strike to protest the baton-charge Saturday in which many of our students and doctors were injured,' said K.K. Sahu, president of the Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors.

Resident doctors say the police baton-charged them following a minor scuffle between some doctors and attendants of a patient.