SKIMS Medical College doctors’ strike hits patient care

By Firdous Hassan

Srinagar, Jun 05: Patient-care at SKIMS Medical College and Hospital at Bemina here was hit on Tuesday as over 100 doctors were on a strike to press for their demands.

In the morning, dozens of senior resident doctors assembled outside the Principal SKIMS Bemina’s office to seek an assurance that they would be paid at par with their SKIMS Soura counterparts.

The doctors continued their protest, and were later joined by the junior resident doctors.

They were sloganeering against the hospital administration.

The protest was held despite the fact that Residents Doctors Association (RDA) of Government Medical College called off the strike after assurances by the Health Minister on removal of pay anomalies.

As per the protesting doctors, the medical college administration failed to fulfil their demand and also threatened to terminate them.

“Despite our repeated pleas for the last many weeks, we have not received any written assurances. In turn, we received threats of termination,” one of the resident doctors, Sameer Ahmad said.

He said the resident doctors of the medical college were not paid at par with SKIMS Soura with which the medical college is affiliated.

“Their attitude forced us to go for the strike for which we submit an unconditional apology,” the doctors said.

Due to the strike, the medical college administration later had to seek the assistance from SKIMS Soura for treating the patients.

The patients at the medical college had to face inconveniences due to the strike by the doctors, who claimed that many among them left untreated.

Long queues were seen outside the emergencies of the hospital and wards, where the patients were waiting for long time for treatment.

“Initially, the hospital seemed empty as all the doctors had gone on strike. Further, the hospital, which has a huge rush of patients flow, had less number of doctors today to treat patients,” Sajad Ahmad, a patient from Tangmarg, said.

Many among the sufferers were the pregnant ladies and children, who had come for their weekly checkups.

“We are so many ladies here with their infants for weekly checkups. But most of the doctors here are on strike, due to which many have left for their homes now,” said Shakeela, a mother.

Medical Superintendent SKIMS Medical College and Hospital, Dr Shifa Deva, said the patient care was managed by the doctors from SKIMS Soura.

“Yes, the strike was there, but the hospital didn’t face any major problem. We brought some post-graduate doctors from SKIMS Soura to deal with the patients,” she said.