Maharashtra resident doctors threaten to go on strike from next week

Their demands include waiver of tuition fee for postgraduate medical students, Covid incentives, and better hostel facilities at government-run medical colleges

The Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has threatened to go on a strike from next week if their demands including waiver of tuition fee for postgraduate medical students, Covid incentives, and better hostel facilities at government-run medical colleges are not met.

Representational Image. (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

State medical education minister Amit Deshmukh promised the fee waiver over a month back, but it is yet to be implemented. In August, a delegation of resident doctors met Deshmukh with a list of their demands.

“The file regarding fee waiver and Covid incentives has been forwarded by the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) to the state medical education minister but to date, we have not heard any update from the state government. Therefore, MARD has decided to call for a strike of all resident doctors unless our demands are met,” said Pranav Jadhav, vice president, MARD. He added the association is giving a seven-day notice to the government before going on the strike.

In a tweet following his meeting with the delegation on August 11, Deshmukh said, “For the last year and a half, resident doctors have been at the forefront of our fight against Covid-19 by working day in and out for months together. Our department is positive of bringing about necessary changes.”