Resident doctors’ strike from today

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: An association of resident doctors in Karnataka have called for a state-wide indefinite strike from Monday over its three-point demand. Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) said in a statement that resident doctors will be withdrawing all the elective services including outpatient departments and elective operation theatres in all the medical colleges affiliated with it.

The association has reiterated its three-point demand: restructure the academic fees according to the 2018-19 academic years; payment of Covidrisk allowance; and timely payment of stipend to postgraduates and interns.

In May, the Karnataka government announced a Covid allowance of Rs 10,000 per month from April 2021 for all resident doctors. The association said the funds have not been released by the government even after six months, terming it a “blatant disregard” towards the doctors serving on the frontlines.

Highlighting an almost 400% hike in academic fees, the association stated that matter was made even worse by forcing them to pay up the entire sum upfront without any concession during “these troubling times”. It added that innumerable symbolic protests, letters to authorities concerned and a panstate protest have evoked little response.

“It is unfortunate to note that the assurance given by the minister of medical education has not been fulfilled. The intent to address the issue is clearly not visible as resident doctors were excluded from the package of Covid-risk allowance announced recently by the state government,” the statement read.

“We are left with no option but to display our dissent in this regard with a pan-Karnataka indefinite strike from Nov. 29 2021, comprising of withdrawal of all the elective services including OPDs and Elective OTs (Excluding emergency services) in all the medical colleges affiliated with KARD,” it added.

KARD is an association of house surgeons, postgraduates, and super speciality residents of government medical and dental colleges in Karnataka.