AHMEDABAD: The ongoing strike of resident doctors across major government hospitals in Gujarat entered the third day on Friday as neither doctors nor the state government gave any indication of ending the impasse.
The Junior Doctors Association (JDA) alleged that the state government forced the medical college authorities to get their hostel rooms vacated on Friday as a pressure tactic against the resident doctors. The association also garnered support from various junior doctor associations across India that supported the movement.
The social media handles of doctors also circulated the video of the meeting of JDA office-bearers with state health commissioner Jai Prakash Shivahare that took place on August 3. The video showed heated exchange between the government officials and doctors over their demands.
Sources close to the development said that the state government has made it clear that they don’t want to give in to the demands. “The entitlements are already extended to the doctors. The demand for the 1:2 bond period was for the Covid duty. As the cases have reduced steadily from mid-May, the officials have refused to term the duty period as double for the calculation of bond period,” said an official.
Gujarat deputy CM and health minister Nitin Patel on Thursday had already warned the doctors of action under provision of Epidemic Act if they don’t join the duty. The health department has already announced that the period of strike would not be counted for duty and educational experience purposes.
“We have faith in our demands and we believe that what’s promised to us should be extended to us. It pains us that we have to fight for it just 1.5 years after the literal showering of flower petals as Covid warriors,” said a JDA member. “We have approached all possible offices to get justice.”
Meanwhile, several doctors from various districts were transferred to hospitals such as the Civil Hospital as the medical services got hampered due to the strike. Sources said that some of the patients from OPDs were also referred to other hospitals on Thursday and Friday.
