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3000 junior doctors in MP call off strike after 7 days
The junior doctors’ association was demanding that hospital beds are reserved for junior doctors, who get infected while treating Covid-19 patients, and free medical treatment is provided to them and their families apart from the promised hike in the stipend.
Madhya Pradesh’s junior doctors called off their strike on Monday after the state government agreed to increase their stipend by 17%. The deadlock was broken after 7 days following a series of meetings between the Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) and medical education minister Vishwas Sarang on Monday morning.
“We called off the strike as the state government has accepted all our demands and a written order will be released soon,” said JUDA president Arvind Meena.
The minister said the government agreed with junior doctors’ “valid demands”. “Soon, an order [announcing an] increase in their stipend will be released,” Sarang said.
Earlier, 3000 junior doctors had resigned in protest, which also had the backing from the Indian Medical Association and junior doctors from other states.
The junior doctors’ association was demanding that hospital beds are reserved for junior doctors, who get infected while treating Covid-19 patients, and free medical treatment is provided to them and their families apart from the promised hike in the stipend.
Junior doctor’s decision to strike during the coronavirus epidemic was declared illegal by the MP high court’s double bench comprising chief justice Mohammad Rafique and justice Sujoy Paul last Thursday. However, the striking doctors refused to follow the court’s order asking them to return to work within 24 hours. The court is now hearing a contempt plea against the doctors. The government has also withdrawn an earlier order to cancel their enrollment in the final year of MBBS and PG courses.
Earlier, the junior doctors went on a strike on May 6, but resumed a few hours later after the state government assured them that their demands will be met.
