Jaipur: Resident Doctors Strike in Rajasthan

Rajasthan healthcare services are impacted as around 7,000 resident doctors in the State suspended all services over their pending demands for a stipend hike and enhanced security measures at the workplace. Apart from these demands, the protesting doctors, who resumed their strike on Saturday, are also demanding revision of the mandatory bond policy, better hostel facilities, and direct job recruitment based on merit for postgraduate and super-speciality doctors.

Commenting on the matter, a representative of the Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD) said that during the talks with them in August, the administration had assured that their demands would be fulfilled. However, they are now compelled to shut down all services due to inaction, the representative told PTI.

"We have come a long way in our fight for justice, but even after 12 days of protest, we are compelled to shut down all services with a heavy heart due to the administration’s continued inaction," said JARD president Manohar Siyol.

It was reported that last week, expressing frustration over the unfulfilled promises made previously, JARD of Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College, Jaipur has threatened to boycott work completely from October 18 if the government failed to initiate a discussion with the association within the next 48 hours.

The association had submitted eight charter demands to the government, which had not been addressed despite months of discussions. As a result, the association called for an indefinite strike on October 8, which they are continuing by suspending elective services at the hospital. Their demands include:

• Strengthening security and infrastructure in all medical colleges as per previous agreements
• Increasing the stipend and providing timely increments
• Amending the current unjust mandatory bond policy by removing the seat leaving penalty
• Direct recruitment of specialist medical officers (SMO) to provide merit-based jobs to postgraduate/super-specialist doctors and ensure proper specialist healthcare services for the people of Rajasthan
• Recruitment of Junior Specialists (JS) in all branches where postgraduate degrees are offered
• Improving hostel living conditions and providing HRA (House Rent Allowance) to all residents who do not opt for government accommodation as per NMC guidelines
• Addressing the wage disparity between academic and non-academic senior residents
• Resolving the pay disparity between the in-service doctors earning degrees in homoeopathy/ayurveda and allopathy

Currently, job recruitment for PG and super-speciality doctors is made on the basis of exams and interviews conducted by the Rajasthan Public Service Commission (RPSC).

Suspension of OPD & Emergency Services

PTI has reported that the resident doctors, who resumed the strike on October 19 evening, boycotted services in outpatient department (OPD) and emergency services such as in-patient departments (IPD), operation theatres, and labour room in almost all government hospitals of the State.

"We had been peacefully registering our protest in support of our demands for the last 12 days by boycotting elective services at the SMS hospital but the government showed no active involvement," Dr Siyol had said on Saturday night while resuming the strike.

Earlier, the resident doctors went on a strike in August this year against the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata. However, they had resumed work after the State Health Minister formed a committee to look into the demands.

Referring to this, the President of Resident Doctors in Jodhpur, Dr. Ravindra Charan told IANS, "Two months ago, after the incident in Kolkata, doctors across the state and the country went on strike to prevent a similar event in Rajasthan. Following our agreement with the government, they promised to ensure safety and respect for Rajat, but most of those agreements have not been implemented. We have been on strike since October 8 at SMS, and from October 14, we initiated a two-hour work stoppage here, yet the government has not engaged with us or shown any willingness to negotiate..."

Patient Services Affected

The Times of India has reported that due to the strike by the doctors, the services in Government hospitals linked to medical colleges and residents from all 18 colleges under the Rajasthan Medical Education Society were heavily disrupted. The largest hospital, SMS Hospital, has been affected the worst. The situation worsened as resident doctors from Ajmer, Udaipur, Bharatpur, Pali, Barmer, Bundi, Pali, and Rajsamand joined the strike. Due to this, the elective services were postponed.

In the case of Ajmer, residents at JLN Medical College Hospital continued their strike for the third day while in Udaipur, 558 resident doctors from six hospitals associated with RNT Medical College continued their strike.

Services at SMS Hospital, including IPD, OT, OPD, and emergency were disrupted and especially affected during the night shifts. Even though 50 doctors were assigned to help, they were placed in the IPD. Due to this, the critical departments remained understaffed.

Similarly, hospitals affiliated with SMS Medical College, such as JK Lon, Kanwatia, and Gangauri were affected and serious patients could not be admitted. In response to the strike, the emergency department of SMS Hospital wrote to SMS Medical College that once the strike is called off, the department will only allow resident doctors to resume the duties after getting approval from the college administration, informed the Head of the Department Dr. BP Meena. Since surgeries got delayed, several patients were forced to seek treatment in private hospitals.

Residents May Face Cancellation of Registration

Patrika has reported that recently the faculty of the surgery and emergency medicine department wrote a letter to the principal of SMS Medical College, Dr. Deepak Maheshwari, and expressed their anger towards the resident doctors. The letter stated that the resident doctors were absent from work without any prior notice and a valid reason and they went on strike resulting in difficulties for the serious patients. In the letter, the faculty also demanded the cancellation of PG registration of those resident doctors who were absent or were on strike in the emergency medicine department.

Commenting on the situation, the Principal of SMS Medical College, Dr. Deepak Maheshwari told ANI, "Doctors should not go on strike. We are trying to make them understand that they should return to work. All professors were present in OPDs today. I appeal to them to return to work immediately...The government is talking to them with sensitivity."

Meanwhile, the office bearers of JARD have reportedly said that the agitation will continue until the demands are met. They said that the government has not taken any decision on this matter yet and due to this, the patients were facing difficulties.