AHMEDABAD: Major associations of PG medical students including Junior Doctors Association in Ahmedabad and Surat announced a strike from Wednesday over their pending demands. A delegation of resident doctors met senior health department officials but due to lack of clear answers, the impasse continued till late night, said sources close to the development.
According to the letter submitted to the authorities, the resident doctors demanded bond period calculation as 1:2 (doubling the calculation of days of duty), benefits of Seventh Pay Commission, appointments in their own alma mater due to loss of study in the first year following the pandemic, and implementing the scheme of senior residentship along with bond on the lines of other states. While JDA office bearers could not be contacted for comment, BJ Medical College and Civil Hospital officials said that the services were disrupted as the groups announced strike from 5 pm on Tuesday.
Jai Prakash Shivahare, state health commissioner, said that there was a representation from junior doctors about their demands. “The state has already extended all the benefits possible to the doctors. Some of the demands raised by the group cannot be fulfilled. For example, as there are not many Covid-19 patients, they cannot avail 1:2 bond period which was offered at the time of second wave,” he said.
Sources said the state government tried to reason with representatives, but talks remained inconclusive. The state , however, is not in a mood to negotiate on several aspects of the representation including the bond and tenure, they added.
