Minister’s measures ‘don’t address issues’, doctors to continue strike

Dr Hitendra Desai, affiliated with the Gujarat Medical Teachers’ Association, one of the government doctors’ associations participating in the strike, said this was a provision made in a May 16, 2021 government resolution by the health department and was subsequently withdrawn in a November 22, 2021, GR.

Patel also announced that expert service, Class-1 contract or bonded specialists will be given a monthly fixed pay of Rs 95,000 instead of the current Rs 84,000 and contractual or bonded MBBS doctors will be given a monthly fixed pay of Rs 75,000 instead of Rs 63,000. Dr Desai explained this was never a demand made by the government doctors. It was also announced that services rendered by bonded candidates at GMERS medical colleges and hospitals will be made bond-free.

“We are demanding to do away with contractual doctors in government hospitals and here the government is increasing the pay of the contractual doctors. This is a non-issue and does not address our core demand,” said Dr Desai.

Other perks announced by the health minister include reservation of 10 per cent seats in postgraduate courses for MBBS doctors serving in the government and direct recruitment and promotion of doctors under the medical education and services division of the health department. This, Dr Desai says, is a “regular file movement” and does not address the government doctors’ demand for change in long-service conditions, where such candidates are allowed to continue their service.