Medical teachers, resident doctors threaten to intensify protest

Boycott on administrative work, meetings

Aurangabad, Feb 11:

The Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) on Friday protested against the insulting treatment meted out to the MSMTA delegation by the medical education secretary. Medical teachers boycotted the meetings of various committees, forcing the dean to end the meeting. The MBBS and BPMT classes could not be held and research work of resident doctors was also hampered.

Dean Dr Varsha Rotte said medical teachers are appointed on various committees and they take decisions in meetings. However, since no professors, associate professor or assistant professor was present at the meeting on Friday, the administrative officer and I had to make the decision. The boycott has also affected educational work. Maharashtra State Medical Teachers Association (MSMTA) president Dr Bharat Sonawane said the boycott on various administrative functions will continue and medical teachers would not perform academic and administrative functions until the demands were met. He warned to stop inpatient services with OPD with the help of MARD if no concrete decision is taken in the next 3 days. He also said that preparations are underway for a court battle over the decision to pay more for contract posts than for regular doctors.

Local MARD officials met MSMTA officials in the afternoon and handed out protest letters. Association president Akshay Kshirsagar said that the central MARD and MSMTA will hold a joint meeting regarding the agitation and decide to participate in this agitation. Medical teachers should be included in the seventh pay commission and regular service. MARD is also protesting against the medical secretary.