After the strike in the capital, around 4000 doctors in the state of Maharashtra are going on an indefinite strike starting today. The Central Board of Maharashtra Resident Doctors (MARD) has categorically said that doctors from the 14 state run and 3 Brihan Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) run colleges will not report to work staring from 8am on Thursday morning.

The MARD has submitted a charter of 10 very reasonable demands to the state government. Some of their demands are-

• Time bound raise in stipend as promised by the state previously.
• Strict implementation of the Doctor’s Protection Act, better security with CCTV cameras.
• Two month paid maternity leave for female doctors.
• In the event a doctor treating TB patients contracts the illness, he/ she must be given 6 months leave to recuperate without increase of his/her course duration or loss of stipend.
• Fixed work hours.
• Relieved from mandatory bond service in rural areas if there is no vacancy for them within 1 month of completing their MD/MS.
• During bond service, resident doctors should be given duties in their area of specialization.

With junior doctors (post MBBS) manning OPDs, emergencies, surgeries and routine procedures in these hospitals, a health crisis is looming on the horizon unless some fast and effective decisions are taken. Officials from the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) have said that they will speak to the doctors and try to resolve the matter soon. One can only hope that the current strike will finally make the government acknowledge the hard fact- Productive doctors make a productive society. Its time they realize that ignorance is not bliss, especially in healthcare.

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