Rajasthan govt. recruits fresh doctors to meet strike

Jaipur, Dec 27 (ANI): Rajasthan government on Tuesday toughened its stand against the agitating doctors by recruiting 700 new doctors.

According to latest reports at least 54 people have died over the past week following a mass strike by nearly 9,000 doctors in the government hospitals of Rajasthan.

The doctors, who began the strike on December 21, are demanding higher wages at par with those employed in central services.

State Health Minister Durru Mian said that Rajasthan government was trying its best to resolve the issue at the earliest.

"Our Chief Minister has repeatedly said several times that we are working towards a solution. Other state ministers are also talking to doctor Karan Singh Yadav. We have interviewed many doctors and today we will employ 700 doctors in the hospital. Besides this, as per my report many doctors have resumed their work," Mian said.

Condition in the hospitals was pathetic with patients suffering in the ongoing tussle between the doctors and the government.

Rakesh Jain, a doctor at Sawai Man Singh Hospital, said that it was unfortunate that the patients were facing the brunt of the ongoing row and called upon the government to initiate a dialogue to end the impasse.

"Nobody wants a strike. Neither we need it, nor the general public. But the only way to bring the strike to an end is to come to table and initiate a dialogue," Jain said.

Ram Kumar, a relative of a patient, expressed distress saying nobody is giving any heed to their plight as they are forced to fend for themselves in the absence of doctors.

"Patients are facing lots of problems due to the strike. Outstation patients are the worst affected. No medical assistance is being provided to the patients admitted in the hospital. They are reeling under pain but there is no doctor or attendant to take care of them," Kumar said.

Unattended patients were seen lying on stretchers outside hospital wards, waiting for attention.

Earlier, Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad had also asked the doctors to end strike and resume work.

Rajasthan government has also sought the assistance of doctors from the Army, paramilitary and Railways to treat the unattended patients. (ANI)