SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, March 14: The teachers and doctors of Rajendra Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) Ranchi, through an ultimatum seem to have brought the state government to the negotiation table for the implementation of their demands. This is something that 14,000 medicos of the state failed to do through state-wide work boycotts.
Notably, the Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA) and Indian Medical Association (IMA) started the agitation on March 1, however, the state government did not take cognizance till March 9. However, as RIMS doctors served an ultimatum on March 10 regarding a work boycott over the suspension of a medical officer (MO), the government seems to have jumped to the negotiation table.
As per information, the RIMS doctors gave an ultimatum on Friday evening and within 12 hours (on Saturday morning) health minister Banna Gupta called representatives of the JHSA, the IMA and the RIMS teachers association for a talk at 11.30 am.
The health minister at the meeting with the JHSA, IMA, and RIMS core group members comprising Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh, Dr Pradip Kumar Singh, Dr Prabhat Kumar, IMA women’s wing president Dr Bharti Kashyap, IMA Ranchi secretary Dr Shambhu Prasad, JHSA treasurer Dr Stephen Xess, Dr Bimlesh Singh, assured the doctors of accepting all demands of doctors’ bodies including withdrawal of the suspension of the RIMS MO.
A senior doctor of Ranchi said that the ultimatum of RIMS doctors saved the face of JHSA and IMA from embarrassment. After giving a call for an indefinite work boycott on March 13, JHSA and IMA were exploring ways to cancel due to the government’s ignorance.
The health minister was also not taking the stir seriously as he believed it would not last long in the state. Moreover, the strength of JHSA and IMA was exposed on March 5 when they took out a ‘candle march’ from RIMS to the IMA building in Ranchi as only a few doctors joined.
“Since the assembly was in session, the ultimatum of RIMS doctors forced the health minister to talk. Moreover, this was the first time Banna Gupta has bent over agitation in the past three and half years”, said the doctor.
Sources said this was also a first for RIMS teachers and doctors showing solidarity. RIMS Teachers Association president Dr Prabhat Kumar led the agitation from the front and said doctors would not hesitate in going on the agitation path if the suspension order against Dr Anish Kumar is not withdrawn.
“As the health minister announced the suspension of MO, doctors gheraoed the superintendent Dr Hirendra Birua and served notice of ultimatum claiming that the MO was not at fault. It was lapsed by the store in charge of RIMS hospital and director as changing bed sheets was not the duty of doctors,” he told media persons.
