Junior doctors of Bihar’s premier medical institution – the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) – ended their 14-day long strike Wednesday after the state government assured them it would look into their grievances. Medicos of two other colleges will also call off their agitation.
According to reports, the strike led to the death of over a dozen patients, including children affected by the Acute Encephalitis Syndrome, but the government has not confirmed it.
Hundreds of junior doctors of the PMCH were on strike after relatives of some patients manhandled their colleagues on duty. The inident led to doctors going on strike and also putting up demands like introduction of junior residency scheme and proper management of hospitals.
The state government last Monday raised the stipend of the junior doctors from Rs.25,000 to Rs.30,000, and this led to the medicos calling off their strike, officials of the health department said.
The junior doctors of Nalanda Medical College and Hospital (NMCH) in Patna and Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital who were also on strike in support of their PMCH colleagues are now likely to end their strike soon.