Doctors strike in Patna

Patna, Nov 11 (ANI): Hundreds of junior doctors at the state-run Medical College Hospital (PMCH) in Patna went on an indefinite strike on Tuesday demanding hike in their stipend.

The interns are seeking an increase in their stipend from rupees 15,000 to rupees 25,000. The government they say, hasn't heeded their plea since August forcing them to go on strike.

"We have only been getting assurances from the government that in one or two months our salaries will rise. This delay made us go on strike on August 26. We were then assured by the Health Minister that our salaries would increase to rupees 25,000 and a committee would be set up to look into our other demands. But nothing happened," said Dhananjay Kumar, President, Junior Doctor's Association, Patna.

The strike is likely to cripple services in the government-run hospital.

"We had come to PMC. They told us here that doctors have gone on strike so all the patients are being shifted to other hospitals. Some suggested us to go to NMCA and some told us of other hospitals. We just don't understand where to go at this moment of emergency," said Rohit Sah, kin of a patient. (ANI)