There were reports of seven deaths in the last two days in the state due to the non availability of medical assistance. With the resident doctors and their seniors going on mass leave,services in all the six medical colleges also affected, including Sawai Man Singh Hospital, JK Lone hospital and Zanana hospital in Jaipur. On the first day of the strike, only district hospitals, community health centres and primary health centres were affected.
In-service doctors went into hiding as police started raiding their houses to arrest them. The state government has imposed the Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act (RESMA) to break the strike.
The police in Jaipur arrested about three dozen resident doctors including the president of the Resident Doctors’ Association Ashok Jangadia on Thursday. Similar arrests took place elsewhere in the State.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) strongly criticized the state government for invoking RESMA. At a meeting here during the day, the honorary secretary of the association, Dr S S Agarwal, said private doctors would also strike work for 4 hours on Friday, from 8 am to noon in support of the in-service doctors.
The Rajasthan Jaipur Medical Association,Rajasthan Medical Teachers’ Association and Medical Practitioners’ Society in a joint statement threatened a mass protest if the government continued to suppress agitation.
Chief minister Ashok Gehlot repeated his appeal to the doctors to withdraw the strike and rejoin duty. He said the government is prepared to address all the issues through dialogue. The doctors are demanding time bound promotion, central pay parity among together
issues.
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