Maharashtra: Ayurvedic resident doctors in Nagpur begin strike

Ayurvedic resident doctors on COVID-19 duty in Nagpur on Wednesday began indefinite strike demanding a raise of Rs 10,000 in stipend from the Maharashtra government on par with their MBBS counterparts.

The striking doctors, who are attached to the government Ayurvedic college, also alleged that they have not been paid their regular stipend for the last four months.

A total of 140 Ayurvedic doctors staged a demonstration for their demands.

These doctors have been assigned COVID-19 duties in various government and private medical colleges, COVID walk-in centres and urban primary health centres in Nagpur.

"On September 2,the Maharashtra government issued a GR (government resolution) approving Rs 10,000 raise in the monthly stipend of resident MBBS and BDS doctors, but we were left out," president of Maharashtra Ayurvedic Association of Resident Doctors Dr Sumit Marathe told PTI.

He claimed the government had not given them stipend for the last four months.

"Our study is also getting affected because of COVID- 19 duties," he said.

Dr Marathe further said resident Ayurvedic doctors from Osmanabad will join strike on Thursday.

"We never wanted to resort to strike during the COVID-19 pandemic. If medical education minister Amit Deshmukh or the state government given us in writing to fulfil our demands, we will immediately rejoin our work," he said.

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