Jaipur:
The medical crisis in Rajasthan due to an indefinite strike by doctors, which has crippled health services and left over a dozen patients dead, deepened today with 5,000 medicos submitting their resignations.
All the government doctors working in hospitals, dispensaries, primary health centres and resident doctors of all the six medical colleges are on strike since December 21.
Private Doctors and medical teachers also stopped work today for four and two hours respectively in support of in-service doctors who are demanding redressal of their long-pending demands of pay hike and time-bound promotions.
A representative of the All Rajasthan in-service Doctors' Association handed over resignations of 5,000 doctors of the state medical and health department.
"Dr Durgashankar Saini met the director and handed over to him resignations of 5,000 doctors of various districts. Several other doctors in different districts have also forwarded their resignation to respective district collectors," Vice-President of the Association Mahesh Sharma claimed.
He alleged a crackdown on striking doctors who have been arrested under Rajasthan Essential Services Maintenance Act. Sources said due to unavailability of medical assistance, around a dozen patients including at least five in Jodhpur and one in Jaipur have died so far.
Deaths were reported in Sikar, Bikaner, Bharatpur districts also. "It is very painful that around twelve patients have died at different hospitals but it is all due to the state government," Sharma said.
S S Agrawal of Indian Medical Association, Rajasthan branch, said, "All the 6116 in-service doctors are on strike but the government has no sensitivity. Today, around 10,000 private doctors and 2000 medical teachers joined them". State medical and health minister Duru Miyan said that the government is open to talks.