Junior docters set to agitate

SURAT, June 8: Junior doctors attached to the New Civil Hospital withdrew themselves from the evening out-patient department service from Mo...

SURAT, June 8: Junior doctors attached to the New Civil Hospital withdrew themselves from the evening out-patient department service from Monday and threatened to launch an indefinite strike if the government directive introducing OPD services between 5 p.m. and 7 p.m., in addition to the 9 a.m.-11 a.m. shift, was not revoked.

Claiming that they had been forced to attend the evening OPD all through last month against their wishes, the Junior Doctors’ Association said that their institution was the only civil hospital in the State to have implemented the government order, while all others had opposed it.

The JDA submitted a memorandum to in-charge superintendent Dr Khadeeja Saifee on Monday, requesting her to withdraw the circular by Tuesday or face an indefinite strike from Wednesday.

Story continues below this ad

To drive home their point, junior doctors stayed away from evening OPD on Monday. The association had held a general body meeting on Saturday, where it decided to submit a memorandum.

The doctors claimed in the memorandum that the number of patients coming in the evening was not even one per cent of the morning flow. There was no point in putting all the junior doctors and other staff on duty to attend to such a small number of patients, they added.

Moreover, they said, a casualty (emergency) department operated round the clock. Junior doctors manning that department could very well attend the evening OPD as well, they added.

JDA President Pritu Dhalaria said the evening OPD was impeding the junior doctors’ studies, besides causing them to give less attention to other patients in various wards. The memorandum also pointed out that the junior doctors had got no monetary incentive for the extra work.

Story continues below this ad

The association requested the in-charge superintendent, also the head of the pathology department, to restore the earlier system.

outside the RJD party office in Patna on Friday. Partners of the alliance filed nomination papers for all 121 seats going to polls in the first phase – the total strength of the Bihar House is 243 – while talks continued to end the deadlock over seats.

Mahagathbandhan parties fail to seal Bihar pact, field own candidates for Phase 1

Political Pulse2 hr ago

Opposition Mahagathbandhan in Bihar failed to announce a seat-sharing pact as nominations closed for the first phase of Assembly elections. Talks are ongoing to end the deadlock over seats, with over a dozen constituencies still in dispute. The alliance has released lists of candidates, with RJD reportedly contesting 130-135 seats and Congress around 60.

View all shorts

Live Blog

PHOTOS