Emergency services will not be shut and patient care will not be compromised in Maharashtra, said the Maharashtra State Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) as resident doctors went on an indefinite strike across the state on Friday.
Listing out their various demands, including waving off of academics fees during COVID-19, Dr Akshay Yadav, a member of MARD, told ANI, "We have not shut emergency services so that patient care is not compromised. Our primary demand is academic fees should be waived off as fewer academics were going on during the COVID-19 lockdown. Hostel conditions are not good and BMC deducting tax from the stipend of doctors is unacceptable."
He further said, "TDS should not be deducted from the stipend of resident doctors of BMC hospitals. Government and a few Corporation hospitals have not received COVID incentives."
Yadav also said that the higher authorities of the ministry have called them for a meeting to discuss the matter at 11 am today. "But we want written assurances from the government," he added.
Resident doctors were seen protesting in front of Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College, Mumbai, where they have also threatened to intensify their protest if they do not get written assurance over the fulfilment of their demands.
( With inputs from ANI )
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