SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 2: After 12 hours of token boycott agitation, doctors of Jharkhand would go on an indefinite strike if the government did not implement their four points demand by March 12.
At the joint meeting of the Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), Indian Medical Association (IMA) and five other organisations held at Ranchi on Wednesday evening it was decided to put up doctors’ problem before the Governor, chief minister, assembly speaker and health minister.
“Doctors bodies would review the government’s response on medicos demands on March 10 again. If demands are not implemented by March 12, all 14,000 doctors will proceed on indefinite strike,” said JHSA secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh and IMA secretary Pradip Kumar Singh.
Moreover, IMA Women’s wing president Dr Bharti Kashyap, IMA Jharkhand coordinator Dr Ajay Kumar Singh, IMA Ranchi president Dr Shambhu Prasad, secretary Dr Sudhir Kumar, joint secretary Dr Ajit Kumar, Dr Bimlesh Kumar Singh and office bearers of other organisations present at the meeting strongly advocated for drastic step (indefinite strike).
At the meeting, JHSA and IMA officials also announced the agitation calendar. Teachers and doctors of Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) will take out a candle march from RIMS to IMA Building on March 5.
Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh and Dr Pradip Kumar Singh said that the main demands of JHSA, IMA, Medical Colleges Teachers Association, Jharkhand Junior Doctors Association and others are immediate severe action on assaulters of doctors, implementation of the Medical Protection Act (MPA), keeping 50 beds hospital and single clinic from the jurisdiction of Clinical Establishment Act (CEA).
Agitating doctors’ bodies have also asked to exempt medicos from biometric attendance at par with police personnel in the state.
“Since health service comes under emergency service, keeping doctors under it does not look practical,” they said.
Notably, for the first time Federation of Jharkhand Chamber of Commerce, Lawyers Association also supported doctors and attended the meeting.
