Rajasthan HC Committee Reschedules Meeting on Resident Doctors' Grievances
Jaipur: The committee formed by the Rajasthan High Court to address the demands of resident doctors has postponed its scheduled meeting on Wednesday. This meeting was scheduled with the intention of resolving the grievances of approximately 7,000 resident doctors from the Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD).
Medical Dialogues had earlier reported that Rajasthan healthcare services are impacted as around 7,000 resident doctors in the State suspended all services over their pending demands for a stipend hike and enhanced security measures at the workplace. Apart from these demands, the protesting doctors, who resumed their strike on Saturday, are also demanding a revision of the mandatory bond policy, better hostel facilities, and direct job recruitment based on merit for postgraduate and super-speciality doctors.
On October 23, a single judge bench of Justice Sameer Jain took suo motu cognizance of the resident doctors' strike. The bench ordered the formation of a committee under the chairmanship of the principal secretary (medical education) to hear the grievances of resident doctors, following which the resident doctors called off their strike.
A hearing was scheduled for November 21 to discuss the matter further, but with the recent postponement, it remains uncertain when a resolution will be reached.
Commenting on the postponement, Sawai Man Singh (SMS) Medical College principal Dr Deepak Maheshwari told TOI that the new date of the meeting will be announced shortly.
Dr Maheshwari stated that some students had provided him with written statements expressing their lack of trust in the leadership of the Jaipur Association of Resident Doctors (JARD). He further mentioned that these students had informed him that the JARD had been dissolved.
Manohar Siyol, the JARD president and one of the seven members of the committee, refuted "rumors" about the dissolution of JARD, stating that JARD has always been, is, and will remain the strong voice of the residents. He further added that the meeting of the committee was postponed without any reason being given.
