Rajasthan resident doctors end strike after HC orders formation of committee to look into demands

Jaipur, Oct 23 (PTI) Resident doctors in Rajasthan announced to call off their strike on Wednesday evening.

The doctors had been protesting since Saturday night over their unmet demands, including stipend hike and enhanced security measures at workplace.

The Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD), which was leading the protest, in a statement said the doctors have decided to end the strike in view of a decision of the Rajasthan High Court and for public interest.

The high court on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the strike called by resident doctors and heard the matter.

JARD President Manohar Siyol said, "The High Court has constituted a committee under the chairmanship of the Medical Education Secretary with representatives of the Medical and Health Department along with the Finance Department regarding our demands." The court understood the problems of the resident doctors and also asked the administration to take cognisance so that their demands could be resolved quickly and effectively, he said in the statement.

The resident doctors went on a strike in August this year against the rape and murder of a doctor in Kolkata but they had resumed work after the state health minister formed a committee to look into the demands.

However, due to inaction, they resumed the strike on October 19 evening, boycotting services in outpatient departments (OPD) and emergency services such as in-patient departments (IPD), operation theatres and labour room in almost all government hospitals of the state.

The protesting doctors' demands include a hike in stipend and a fixed annual increment in the remuneration, merit-based direct recruitment for postgraduate and super-speciality doctors, enhanced safety at workplace and better hostel facilities. PTI AG RPA RPA