MBBS doctors in Rajasthan are continuing their fast-unto-death strike for the sixth day on January 24, demanding an increase in the number of posts under the Medical Officer Recruitment exam. The protesters met with the state's Health Minister Parsadi Lal Meena at his residence in the morning, but the meeting was reportedly unsatisfactory according to the protesters.
"The Minister met us for a very short time and before we could explain the whole matter to him, we were asked to leave. We waited outside the gate for hours, but were still not allowed to meet him," said Dr Vinod Bagra, President of the All Rajasthan Medical Doctors' Association (ARMDA), the organisation which is leading the protest. "Even police were asked to put a stop to our protests," he added.
However, the doctors are not ready to give up. Out of the four fasting students, two (Dr Deepak Mahawar and Dr Ankit Rathore) are admitted to the ICU at SMS Hospital in Jaipur. "But they have not broken their fast," Dr Bgara states. Meanwhile, the other two doctors (Dr Avinash Swami and Dr Rajendra Gurjar) continue to sit on a fast outside the Swathya Bhavan in the city, along with several other supporters from the medical community.
The MBBS doctors demand the posts be increased from 1,765 to 4,500 as there are many unemployed doctors in the state, and there are vacancies for doctors as well, especially in rural healthcare units. In response to the protests, the government stated that since the results of the competitive exam have already been declared, the number of posts can only be increased during the next exam.
The doctors are not content. They claim that they have been asking the government to hike the number of posts since last year. They even met Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot who assured them that it would be done, and the doctors had specifically requested him to make the change before the exam results are declared. But nothing was done and after the results were announced, the doctors saw no other way but to protest.
The protesters have received support from Resident Doctors' Associations (RDAs) of Rajasthan and nearby states and FAIMA (Federation of All India Medical Association). "Now that we have the support, if the government does not consider our demands, we will launch a statewide strike," Dr Bagra said.
The issue has also sparked political debates in the state, with BJP blaming the ruling Congress for the doctors' plight. Moreover, with the doctors in Rajasthan also opposing the proposed Right to Health Bill, the situation has snowballed into a controversy.
