Junior doctors on strike in SCB Medical College

Cuttack, July 19 (UNI) The junior doctors at the SCB Medical College and Hospital resorted to agitation for the second day today demanding opening of round-the-clock testing centre for HIV-AIDS and Hepatitis B patients.

Junior Doctors Association General Secretary Dr Prakash Kumar Behera said the strike would continue till the authorities conceded to their demands.

Dr Behera alleged that though they had been demanding the centre for a long time, the authorities had not taken any step so far, forcing about 200 junior doctors to go on strike.

'' We cannot risk our lives any more,'' he added.

Meanwhile, bowing to pressure, the authorities opened a centre for testing HIV affected patients in the gynaecology department yesterday and assured the junior doctors to open another such centre in the Out Patient Department within a month.

However, Dr Behera said the agitation would be withdrawn only after the authorities gave their assurance in writing about opening the testing centre in the casualty department.

UNI