MP Junior Medics Continue Stir, Strike Enters Sixth Day
Bhopal: Health services at five hospitals in Madhya Pradesh remained disarrayed for the sixth consecutive day on Saturday, as talks between the state government and striking junior doctors yet again failed to reach an agreement.
Unmoved by the state government’s decision to invoke the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and the subsequent expulsion of nearly 1,100 junior doctors, the medics have continued to push for their demands, seeking better facilities and a hike in stipend.
Madhya Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (MPJDA) state general secretary Anil Shejwar confirmed that talks between the two sides failed to reach an amicable solution.
“We had talks with the state government representatives including Principal Secretary (Health) Vijaya Srivastava and Director Medical Education VK Saini but to no avail,” he was quoted as saying by IANS.
VK Soni told agencies that the government was trying to solve the issue, and also making all efforts to ensure that patients in all the five facilities are attended to.
Meanwhile in neighboring Chattisgarh, some 250 junior doctors in the state called off their strike and returned to work on Saturday after Chief Minister Raman Singh agreed to concede their main demands.
The junior medics, on strike since July 16, called off their agitation after the chief minister agreed to their demands in principle.
