The resident doctors from government medical colleges across Maharashtra state began an indefinite strike at 5 pm on Thursday. The strike is led by the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD). This strike comes as a retort to the government's failure to fulfill the demands concerning revised salaries, better hostel facilities, a hike in stipends, and improved working conditions.
Around 8,000 resident doctors from government medical colleges across Maharashtra are participating in this indefinite strike. The NKP Salve Medical College resident doctors are already on strike for the last seven days.
The MARD President Dr. Abhijit Helge in a letter said that the Central MARD had kept their faith in the government’s words and called off their strike multiple times previously. Despite the distressing situation of the resident doctors, the benefit of the doubt was always given to the authority and they entrusted them to do the right thing promptly to ensure the welfare of resident doctors. However, regardless of their innumerable pleas, it seems their genuine concerns have fallen on deaf ears. Having been pushed to the limit by the cruel disregard towards the resident doctor's legitimate demands, the representative body of the resident doctors is left with no choice but to go on a pan-Maharashtra indefinite strike.
The MARD president also said that around 8,000 resident doctors across the state will be on strike demanding better hostel accommodation, a hike in stipend, and clearance of arrears. However, the MARD has assured that during the strike emergency services and continued care will be functional in all government medical colleges and hospitals to provide necessary medical care to the people.
Earlier this month a meeting was held between Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and doctors where the demands of Central MARD were acknowledged. However, no action was taken to implement the demands due to the absence of a cabinet meeting this week. The deputy chief minister made a public plea to postpone the strike and their proposal for demands will be approved in the upcoming cabinet meeting. But the doctors have determined to continue their strike until their demands are fulfilled.
The resident doctor's major demands include timely payment of stipends, which are to be credited by the 10th of every month, a stipend hike of Rs. 10,000, and better hostel facilities.
Dr. Abhijit Helge said that the strike will continue until further notice and a meeting with all MARD representatives with the state Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar is scheduled for tomorrow at 3 pm and also said they will provide further updates after the meeting.
(Input from various sources)
(Rehash/Lavanya Beeraboina/MSM)