Rajasthan Doctors strike enters tenth day

Jaipur, Dec 30 (ANI): As doctors strike entered its tenth day on Friday, as patients continued to have an appalling time in the state.

Bhim Singh, a patient's relative, complained about the situation persisting in a hospital.

"I brought an accident case over here. It has been three days now, the doctors are not visiting and the other doctors who are sitting in the hospital are not taking up the case and asking us to go somewhere else," said Singh.

Nearly 9,000 doctors in the government hospitals of Rajasthan, who began the strike on December 21, are demanding higher wages at par with those employed by the central government.

While speaking to media persons Daljeet Singh, a patient, criticized the non-availability of the doctors blaming the ruling Congress Party for the prevailing situation.

"The Congress government (state's ruling party) is responsible for the sufferings of the patients and no one else. If Congress thinks about its responsibilities then the people will not suffer like this," said Daljeet Singh.

At present the deadlock continues to persist between the doctors on strike and the provincial government.

However, on Wednesday, resident doctors resumed their duty after the state government convened a dialogue with them.

The Superintendent of Sawai Man Singh Hospital, Doctor L C Sharma said that proper medical attention was provided to the patients after some of the doctors resumed their services.

"Though the number of the doctors in the hospital was less due to the strike, but almost 158 residents doctors have resumed their service yesterday of which two senior residents and 13 medical officers, so, the situation is better now and the work is also getting better," said Sharma.

At least 54 people have reportedly died over the past week following a mass strike of doctors.

State Health Minister, Durru Mian on Thursday urged the striking doctors to call off their strike in the wake of patients suffering.

Earlier, the Rajasthan government had sought the assistance of doctors from the Army, paramilitary outfits like the Border Security Force and Railways to treat the mounting number of patients in the hospitals. (ANI)