Junior resident and intern doctors at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital’s BJ Medical campus went on strike today demanding a 40% increase in their stipends and a regular raise every three years. The strike, which began in the morning, disrupted hundreds of outpatient departments (OPDs) and scheduled surgeries, causing significant inconvenience to patients.
The doctors’ decision to strike comes despite Gujarat offering one of the highest stipends for doctors in the country. A 20% stipend increase was implemented earlier this year following negotiations, but the doctors argue that it is still insufficient.
A total of 1,300 resident and intern doctors staged a protest outside the BJ Medical College campus. The strike has led to several incidents where patients had to be rushed to other hospitals due to the unavailability of doctors.
Dhaval Gameti, president of the BJ Medical College Junior Doctors Association, expressed frustration with the government’s lack of action. “We have made numerous representations to the Health Minister and Health Department officials, but nothing has been done,” Gameti said. “We continued working, keeping the patients in mind, but when our demand for a 40% stipend increase wasn’t met, we had no choice but to resort to strike.”
Shashank Asara, vice president of the association, emphasised the challenging working conditions at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, the largest hospital in Asia. “Gujarat has only six government medical colleges, which are very few compared to other states,” he said. “We are fighting for our rights, and this is the only way left for us.”
According to BJ junior residents, resident doctors from Amdavad Municipal Corporation (AMC)-run hospitals are expected to join the strike from September 3.