NE NEWS SERVICE
AHMEDABAD, AUG 12
The ongoing strike by resident doctors in Gujarat in support of their demands entered the eighth day on Wednesday though they decided to attend emergency services, while their agitation received backing from the Indian Medical Association (IMA).
Softening their stand, the doctors decided to resume emergency, ICU and COVID-19 services but made it clear they have not called off the strike.
The Gujarat chapter of IMA, India’s apex body of allopathy doctors, said its headquarters in Delhi has provided total support to the striking junior doctors and requested the state government to resolve the issue at the earliest.
In a communication to Gujarat’s Junior Doctors’ Association, the banner under which around 2,000 resident doctors are on a strike since last Wednesday over the issue of bond service period and seeking salaries as per the 7th Pay Commission, the IMA head office said it “extends its complete support to the genuine demands of JDA.” The IMA urged the Gujarat government to consider the demands put forward by the agitating physicians.
“We have also been informed that the resident doctors are now being asked to vacate their hostels as a retaliation, which is unacceptable…such behaviour against resident doctors is hurtful.
‘We request the Government of Gujarat to consider their demands and take necessary action,” said IMA Honorary Secretary General Dr Jayesh Lele.
As part of their protest, the resident doctors on Monday decided to return their ‘COVID Warrior certificates, claiming officials have asked them to vacate hostels and disconnected water and power supply.
At least 2,000 resident doctors, most of who recently finished their post-graduate courses, are taking part in the strike. They are attached to government-run medical colleges in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Bhavnagar and Jamnagar.
The state government has held a series of meetings of top officials over the demands made by the doctors and repeatedly urged them to end their stir, but there has been no breakthrough so far.
In Gujarat, medical students of government colleges are required to sign a bond, which mandates them to serve in rural areas for a year after completing their studies.
Recently, the state government, as per the bond rules, had issued duty orders to such doctors. Doctors can break the bond by paying Rs 40 lakh.
