Gujarat doctors observe black day after Govt cracks down on medicos, calls strike illegal

Doctors can break the bond by paying Rs 40 lakh. In April this year, when COVID-19 cases were on the rise, the state government had announced that one day of COVID-19 duty will be considered equivalent to two days of bond duty. Thus, six months in COVID-19 wards will be considered as one year of bond period. However, in July, when the cases dropped significantly, a new notification was issued stating that the ratio has been restored to 1:1. "The government''s action against us is a black day for us bonded and resident doctors.

The government has gone back on the promises it made six months ago during the height of coronavirus to waive our bonds," another resident doctor said. Dean of Baroda Medical College Dr Tanuja Javadekar said the residents have been served notices to vacate their hostel premises, but the authorities are still trying to persuade them to withdraw their strike. "We have received an order from the government that interns and residents who are on strike should be ordered to vacate the hostel.

They have received the notice. We are also counselling them to resume duty," Dr Javadekar said. Similarly, authorities of Jamnagar-based Shri MP Shah Medical College also served notices on striking residents to vacate the hostel. The state government had on Friday termed the strike called by the resident doctors as "illegal", and threatened to invoke the Epidemic Diseases Act if they did not return to duty. 

Also Read: Resident doctors strike illegal: Gujarat Govt threatens to invoke Epidemic Diseases Act