Rajasthan: 4 MBBS students on indefinite hunger strike over hike in posts under Medical Officer Recruitment exam, 2 hospitalized

Jaipur: With the protest by the MBBS doctors in Rajasthan demanding an increase in the number of posts under the Medical Officer Recruitment exam entering its fifth day on 23rd January 2023, two out of the four students who are on a fast-unto-death strike has been admitted to the ICU at SMS Hospital. 

MBBS doctors in Rajasthan, protesting under the All Rajasthan MBBS Doctors' Association (ARMDA) have been demanding an increase in the number of posts for the Medical Officer Recruitment exam from 1,765 to 4,500 since no such hike has taken place over the last two years despite having a good number of employed doctors in the state. 

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The protesting doctors said that increasing the number of recruits would further help in filling the vacant doctors' positions in rural areas. Talking about the deteriorating health condition of the four students on hunger strike, Dr Bagra said in an earlier statement, "They are down with fever due to the cold wave in the state, and the students' condition was such that they needed to be admitted to a hospital. But the fellow doctors who are sitting along with them in support treated them." 

A meeting in this regard was organized where six representatives, including ARMDA President Dr Vinod Bagra, were called to meet Dr Prithviraj Sankhala, Secretary, Medical Health and Family Welfare Department, Jaipur. 

However, Dr Bagra said that the protesting doctors are not convinced by the assurance given by the secretary that their demands would be conveyed to the Chief Minister since they have been receiving similar assurances with no effect for the past two months. 

The doctors also went on an Akrosh (Agitation) Rally on the evening of 23rd January from Swasthya Bhavan in the city to Civil Lines Gate as part of their protest. Dr Bagra said, "Police cracked down upon the protesting doctors and asked us to discontinue the rally. But we will keep at it till the government considers our demands." 

Meanwhile, the state government said that the number of recruitments are calculated according to the designated posts and hence could not be increased. But the doctors responded that the government had already done this in 2016 and 2018, and hence could be done now as well, as per a media report in Edex Live. 

The protest by the Rajasthan doctors has received support from various other bodies. JARD (Jaipur Resident Doctors' Association), along with other doctors' bodies has called for the statewide closure of services in government medical colleges, in support of the protest.

FAIMA (Federation of All India Medical Association) had earlier written a letter to Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot stating, "The posts should be increased to 4,500 so that the vacant posts in the medical department can be filled. Regular doctors could be appointed and this step would be taken in the public interest." Pointing out various health-related schemes previously brought out by the Rajasthan government, the letter talked about the importance of the current demand stating that increasing the posts is the need of the hour for the healthcare infrastructure.  

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