Gujarat: 4,000 resident doctors on strike over bond service issue

As many as 4,000 resident doctors from five government-run medical colleges in Gujarat went on an indefinite strike yesterday over a bond service issue.

To put pressure on the state government to consider 12 months of their senior residency as mandatory bond service, nearly 4,000 resident doctors from five government-run medical colleges in Gujarat went on an indefinite strike yesterday.

For the time being, these doctors have withdrawn from attending to all routine OPD (Out Patient Department) services for an indefinite period. Though they are available for emergency and COVID-19 services, their associations have threatened to launch a full-fledged strike in the coming days if the issue remains unresolved.

Out of Gujarat's six government medical colleges in Ahmedabad, Vadodara, Surat, Rajkot, Jamnagar and Bhavnagar, resident doctors in Surat refrained from joining the strike and they gave one more day to the government to resolve the issue.

As per reports, the hospital authorities have made alternate arrangements to cope with the impact of the strike.

Resident doctors cannot shy away from serving people in rural areas, says minister

Gujarat Health Minister Rushikesh Patel said the resident doctors cannot shy away from serving people in rural areas, as per their bond condition (about service). He has warned of disciplinary action against the agitating doctors. "We will take disciplinary action if required. I urge these doctors to end the strike and join duties at the earliest. I don't agree with their demands. The government spends a considerable amount to make them specialist doctors. Thus, you have to serve in villages after completing your PG," he added, as reported by Economic Times.

"Our demand is legitimate because students of this batch had served COVID-19 patients for 17 months, out of the total 36 months of the course. If the previous batches are exempted from bond service on the same ground, then why can't the government consider the batch of 2019 for the same relief?" asked Dr Rahul Gameti, president of the Junior Doctors' Association in Ahmedabad.

As per the service bond rules, students of government medical colleges have to serve in rural areas for at least one year after completing their post-graduate medical course. If any student fails to do so, he/she has to pay INR 40 lakh. This rule is applicable to students of the six government medical colleges in the state.

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