KIMS resident docs’ strike enters 8th day

Hubballi: The indefinite strike called by the resident doctors’ association of KIMS, Hubballi, representing resident doctors (interns, postgraduates, super-specialty residents, and senior residents) in association with the Karnataka Resident Doctors’ Association, entered its 8th day on Monday.
More than 500 junior and senior resident doctors working in Karnataka Institute of Medical Sciences hospital, Hubballi, have been protesting for the past week, leaving many patients worried.
More than 2,000 patients from the North Karnataka region visit KIMS OPD daily, seeking treatment for various diseases and ailments. The hospital is entirely dependent on the service of resident doctors to handle the increasing number of patients. Now, the onus of handling these patients has fallen on the 300 to 350 existing staff.
Sources said that KIMS hospital authorities are now focusing on handling emergency surgeries since the junior doctors are on strike. The hospital authorities are said to be postponing non-emergency surgeries following the strike. OPD service is also affected by the strike, sources said.
Dr Adarsha V, general secretary of Junior doctors’ association, KIMS, Hubballi, told TOI that their main demand is to increase their stipend to be on par with the national level. They are now pursuing speciality and super-speciality courses. They pay Rs 1.1 to 1.2 lakh fee for speciality courses and Rs 2.2 lakh for super speciality courses in govt medical colleges. However, the junior resident doctors are being paid a Rs 45,000 stipend, while the senior resident doctors are being paid a Rs 55,000 stipend, which is much less than in other states. Junior and senior resident doctors are being paid Rs 99,000 to 1 lakh stipend at the national level, he added.
They are also demanding a reduction in the medical PG fee structure, a 6-7% hike in stipend every year, and intensified security measures for the safety of doctors at all govt hospitals, including KIMS.
As the govt failed to respond to their peaceful protest on Aug 5, they launched an indefinite strike from Aug 12. They have already submitted memorandums to the state govt, the medical education minister, and other ministers and persons concerned, seeking fulfilment of their demands. Their association members are holding a protest in Bengaluru, but the govt has not yet taken any decision to meet their demands, he said. They held a bike rally, a walkathon, a dharna, and a letter campaign as part of their agitation, he said.
‘Unaffected by strike’
Dr Ishwar Hasabi, superintendent of KIMS, said that the ongoing strike by the junior/senior resident doctors has not affected any service at the KIMS hospital as they have made arrangements to ensure timely treatment to all patients. They have instructed all staff to provide treatment to all patients. They are also working extra hours to to facilitate patients, he said.