A few days after resident doctors of Mysore Medical College and Research Institute (MMCRI) sat on an indefinite strike to protest a deduction of Covid-19 risk allowance and untimely release of salaries, the Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) decided to temporarily call off the strike. According to Dr Tejas J, in-charge President of the association, the decision to call off the strike was based on the promise by Health and Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar that the Covid-19 risk allowance would be credited within 10 days throughout the state. “All senior residents, postgraduates, and interns respect his (Sudhakar’s) words and will withdraw the strike for a duration of 10 days. Meanwhile, we will continue to protest wearing a black badge,” he said. Meanwhile, KARD, in a statement clarified that there will be “consequences” if the promise is not realised. “The consequence will be straight to boycott all services by around 5,000 resident doctors (across the state). It has been six months since the Covid-19 risk allowance was announced and it still hasn’t reached the pockets of young doctors even after submitting letters to the authorities and carrying out symbolic protests,” the statement read. According to sources in the Medical Education Department, Chamaraja (Mysuru) MLA L Nagendra spoke to Sudhakar over the phone Monday after the minister promised to pay the dues within 10 days. Nagendra had visited the protest site at MMCRI Sunday to receive a memorandum by the agitated health professionals. The resident doctors had earlier alleged that postgraduate (PG) residents were assured a Covid-19 risk allowance of Rs 10,000 per month of which a total of only Rs 30,000 was paid to date. President of MMCRI Resident Doctors’ Association Dr Vijay Kumar said that such action was considered as “an extreme disrespect” to their dedicated services during the pandemic and requested the authorities to avoid implementing a cut to the allowance. “PG students have performed Covid-19 duties for nearly 15 months during the last two years compromising the academic activities against the risk of infection under adverse conditions. Nearly half the learning period of post-graduation has gone without any substantial learning of PG skills,” a memorandum submitted to the Mysuru Deputy Commissioner last week mentioned.
