Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The government has warned protesting junior doctors that action will be taken against them if they will not return to work. The strike of the junior doctors entered into second day on Tuesday.
State medical education minister Vishvas Sarang on Tuesday said that fight against Covid infection and complications after corona infection is still on. “This is clearly blackmailing. It is unfortunate that when people need doctors, they are on strike. They are taking advantage of the situation,” he said adding that government has already fulfilled four out of their six demands.
“We have increased their stipends. They are getting of 60,000-70,000 per month. Their four demands have already been fulfilled. The government will surely consider rest of the demands. But, it is not time of protest. They will have to return to duty, otherwise government will be forced to act against them,” Sarang told journalists here on Tuesday.
Nearly 3,000 junior doctors of six medical colleges of the state are on indefinite strike since May 31 in support of demands including free treatment for them and their families if they contract COVID-19. On Monday, the protesting junior doctors had withdrawn their duties from Out Patient Departments (OPDs) and had announced that they will not discharge duties even in corona wards.
According to state president of Junior Doctors Association, Arvind Meena, they had withdrawn their duties from COVID ward on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Medical Teachers' Association also wrote a letter to minister Vishvas Sarang, appealing him to fulfill the demands of the junior doctors.
However, MP Congress chief Kamal Nath said the state government should consider the demands of the junior doctors. "They are on strike to press for their 6-point charter of demands. Health services are being affected by their strike in this period of pandemic. The government should immediately consider their demands sympathetically and take a decision in the public interest," Nath said in a tweet.
