1200 resident doctors on indefinite strike in Ahmedabad…

Around 1200 resident doctors of ahmedabad Civil Hospital in gujarat went on an indefinite strike on monday demanding a hike in allowances. Despite the officials making alternative arrangements in view of the strike, services were affected. Patients and relatives complained of long waits at the Aswara-based facility.

The Aswara-based facility is attached to BJ Medical college and is the largest in the state. According to the resident doctors, they will abstain from all duties, including trauma care, emergency and outpatient department (OPD) services, as part of the strike until an amicable solution is found. The state health department had agreed to hike the stipend by 40 per cent every three years. The hike was to come into effect from april 1. However, it was not implemented until July, following which we met state health minister Rushikesh Patel.

'We are forced to go on strike'

Dr Dhaval Gameti, president of junior Doctors Association of BJ Medical college, said that we had postponed our strike after getting assurances about its implementation. We are now forced to go on indefinite strike as we have come to know that the state government has increased the allowance by only 20 per cent, which is half of the promise. Dhaval Gameti claimed that the state government has now said that the allowance will be revised every five years instead of three years. This is not acceptable as the government has gone back on its promise.

People's troubles increased

At the same time, this strike of doctors has increased the trouble of the people. A person said that he had brought his relatives from rajkot for the treatment of jaundice, but he came to know about the absence of doctors. The attendant who came with the patient said that we will have to come the next day after waiting for several hours. Talking about the situation after the strike, Additional Medical Superintendent of Civil Hospital Rajneesh patel said, currently 130 medical officers are on duty.