Bhopal: Junior doctors Association (JUDA) ‘token’ strike on Thursday affected the health services in Hamidia Hospital during morning hours. The doctors, however, called off their strike following the Dean Dr Aruna Kumar’s assurance for taking up their demands before the higher ups and addressing them within 15 days. The junior doctors struck their work to bring to notice of the authorities the issue of insufficient stock of medicines as well as poor facilities at the Hamidia Hospital.
All the junior doctors joined hands raising the issue of medicines and facilities for patients, proper duty rooms for the doctors, and others. Through their ‘token’ strike, the junior doctors raised the issue of high corona treatment cost. Ramdisevir injections, required in treatment cost Rs 30,000, which everyone cannot afford.
JUDA president Dr Arvind Mina said, “It was a mere token strike for warning. But Dean Dr Aruna Kumar assured junior doctors for addressing their matter after meeting with higher ups.”
Mina further said that they raised the issue that most of the Covid-19 patients were unable to meet the treatment expense as for instance the price of Ramdesivir injection costs a bomb. So we want the government to ensure proper medicines in stock, he added.
When the Dean came to know about our token strike, she immediately intervened and assured us to address all our issues within 15 days and thus we called off the strike, Mina stated.
During the initial hours of the day, the health services were affected, but we soon resumed our duties and things were back to normal, he added.
Medical Superintendent Hamidia Hospital Dr ID Chaurasia said, “Junior doctors staged a token strike to press their demands particularly, medicine availability and medical services for the Covid-19 patients as corona treatment is very costly. Now it is up to the government. However, JUDA has been assured of settling all issues within 15 days.”
