Talks fail with state, doctor strike to continue in Maharashtra

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has announced that they will continue their state-wide strike after talks failed with the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER) on Friday. The doctors stated that they will continue the agitation until their demands for hostel accommodation, stipend regularization, and stipend hike are met. Representatives from all state-run medical colleges participated in the meeting, both physically and virtually.

“Despite receiving verbal assurances, the government's failure to fulfill their promises has created a sense of distrust among the resident doctors. Therefore, the strike will persist,” the resident doctors said in a release. All members of central MARD, including presidents and general secretaries of individual colleges, were a part of the meeting. The organization said they regretted any inconvenience caused to patient care, but emergency services will remain operational. “The government will bear the sole responsibility for any impact on patient care,” MARD said.

In Mumbai, the strike has not had much of an impact as the BMC-run medical colleges have not participated. The state-run JJ Hospital is the only major medical college to have joined the strike. The hospital said on Friday that nearly 1900 (1842) patients were treated in the outpatient departments while 64 admissions were there. A total of 96 surgeries, including 51 major, took place at JJ Hospital on Friday.

While urging the doctors to withdraw their strike, the DMER officials said that the state is actively addressing their various demands, including hostel repairs and a stipend hike of Rs 10,000, pending cabinet approval.