Karnataka resident doctors to go on indefinite strike from November 29: Report

NEW DELHI: The Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors (KARD) has called for a statewide indefinite strike from November 29 withdrawing all elective services including Out Patient Department (OPD) in all medical colleges in the state over three-point demands, the ANI reported.

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“Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors calls for a statewide indefinite strike from Nov 29, withdrawing all the elective services including OPDs and elective OTs (excluding emergency services) in all the medical colleges affiliated with it over three-point demand,” ANI tweeted.

Karnataka Association of Resident Doctors calls for a statewide indefinite strike from Nov 29, withdrawing all the elective services including OPDs and elective OTs (excluding emergency services) in all the medical colleges affiliated with it over three-point demand pic.twitter.com/LhodPGh5yA

— ANI (@ANI) November 28, 2021

The demands of KARD include:

• To consider restructuring the academic fees according to 2018-19 academic year
• Payment of COVID-19 risk allowance
• Timely payment of stipend to post graduates and interns

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The association argued in a press release that the government of Karnataka had announced a covid allowance of Rs 10,000 per month to all resident doctors. However, it has been six months and yet the funds have not been released.

It further said that their academic fees have been hiked by nearly 400% from Rs 30,000 to Rs 1,20,000.

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“We are left with no option but to display our dissent in this regard with a PAN-KARNATAKA indefinite strike from November 29, 2021, comprising of withdrawal of all the elective services including OPDs and Elective OTs (Excluding emergency services) in all the medical colleges affiliated with KARD,” the press release said.

Meanwhile, in a related development, the Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) announced to call for nationwide withdrawal of Out Patient Department (OPD) services from Saturday, November 27, onwards due to repeated delays and postponement of National Eligibility Entrance Test postgraduate (NEET PG) counselling 2021.