GMCH issues notices to 100 striking doctors in Aurangabad

Aurangabad, Maharashtra, Mar 4: The Government Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) here has issued notices to as many as 100 doctors on strike directing them to resume duty, and warned them of disciplinary action if they fail to respond, GMCH Dean Dr Vina Patil has said.

''We have issued notices to the 100 striking doctors late last night, asking them to resume duty by today morning,'' Dr Patil told UNI.

She said, however, the doctors had not responded to the notice till noon today.

As many as 200 doctors and members of the Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) have been on strike since March two, in support of their counterparts in Mumbai to express solidarity with them.

Dr Patil claimed the GMCH has maintained its health services with the help of non-medical staff and medical officers from the health department of the State government and said the strike has no affect on the hospital.

As many as 150 resident doctors of three civic hospitals - Bhabha, KEM and Sion - in Mumbai were suspended late last night for six months after negotiations between the striking doctors and Maharashtra Government failed over the stipend issue.

Today is the sixth day of resident doctors' strike who had shunned work after two doctors in the state capital were beaten up by relatives of some patients.

The talks had failed as MARD representatives demanded a written assurance from State Higher and Technical Education Minister Dilip Valse-Patil for increasing their stipend, which was denied by the minister, sources said.

UNI