Explained: Why government doctors in Gujarat are protesting

What is the reason for the doctors’ protest in Gujarat?

On May 16, 2021, the Gujarat government, under former chief minister Vijay Rupani’s leadership, had issued a government resolution (GR) addressing several demands of senior doctors, some of which dated back to 2012.

The issues addressed included those pertaining to pension benefits, direct recruitment for ad hoc appointments, payment of non-practising allowance and salary increments.

However, the GR was not implemented as months later on November 22, 2021, the government issued a second GR, withdrawing the earlier May 2021 one.

The key demand now is that the May 16, 2021 GR be implemented.

Among the issues raised is senior doctors not being promoted for nearly two decades. They also want the government to stop making contractual hires as it lacks accountability, especially in times of crisis and duress as was seen during the Covid-19 pandemic.

How has the Gujarat strike affected medical services?

The strike is being witnessed not only by government doctors of government and government-aided medical colleges, but also government doctors from PHCs and CHCs. With these doctors not reporting for duty, including for OPD services, this has affected planned surgeries in hospitals. Emergency patients and patients in labour, however, are being attended to by resident doctors and contractually hired doctors.

Doctors have been on strike since April 4. (Express Photo: Bhupendra Rana)

The Ahmedabad Civil Hospital, for instance, has postponed planned surgeries, and to supplement the shortage of staff, is relying on doctors from UN Mehta Institute of Cardiology, Gujarat Cancer Research Institute, and Institute of Kidney Diseases Research Centre. This is along with contractual staff who have been asked to handle emergency and OPD procedures.

Surgeries being conducted at Ahmedabad Civil Hospital have fallen by about 80 per cent due to the strike.

Post-mortem procedures, too, are seeing a delay.

There are queues and longer wait times for patients, including in OPD.

While the striking doctors say they are aware of the difficulties patients are being put through, they add that they have been left with no other way to air their grievances after nearly six months of trying different avenues to implore the state to act on their demands.

What was the May 16, 2021 Government Resolution?

The GR noted that in accordance with the Seventh Pay Commission recommendations, medical teachers under the medical education division have been approved for being paid non-practising allowance with a maximum salary of Rs 2,37,500.

It also said teachers performing their duties on an ad hoc basis at institutions under the medical education division, will have their services regulated till they are selected on regular basis by direct recruitment through the Gujarat Public Service Commission, and those serving on an ad hoc basis in the higher cadres will be appointed through promotion or direct recruitment.

The GR also laid down conditions on promotions and relaxed the criteria to consider elevating doctors to higher pay scales.

How have the protesting doctors raised their grievances until now?

After the GR was revoked last November, doctors made representations to the Gujarat health department.

On December 4, a protest rally was taken out in six municipal corporations of the state.

On December 6, a memorandum was submitted to the health department, including the state health minister and additional chief secretary of health.

On December 13 and then again on January 19 this year, the doctors had threatened to go on strike but had withdrawn upon the government’s request due to the prevalence of the third wave of Covid-19. At the time, the government had assured doctors their issues would be resolved.

Now, with Covid-19 cases low, the doctors have begun their strike.

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