Trainee docs' strike enters fifth day

Patients at public hospitals countrywide continue to suffer as a strike called by interns and trainee doctors entered its fifth day on Wednesday.
The Postgraduate Private Trainee Doctors Association and the Intern Doctors Council launched the strike last Saturday to press home their four-point demand, including a salary hike.
Initially, they launched a 48-hour strike. However, they announced a five-day strike from Monday for no favourable outcome following their meeting with health minister Dr Samanta Lal Sen.
They demanded a salary hike of Tk 50,000 from Tk 20,000 for trainees, Tk 30,000 from Tk 15,000 for interns, resumption of salaries at 12 institutions under BSMMU, paying arrears and ensuring workplace protection.
Contacted, Postgraduate Private Trainee Doctors Association president Jabir Hossain told the FE that they would stage a sit-in at Shaheed Minar today (Thursday).
Following the programme, they will meet the health minister at his secretariat office. "We'll continue with our demonstration until our demands are met," uttered Mr Hossain.
According to available data, public and autonomous hospitals have around 8,000 postgraduate trainees and 4,000 interns countrywide. However, interns and trainee doctors at private hospitals continue to discharge their duties.
Meanwhile, the Consumers Association of Bangladesh (CAB) has expressed concern over patient sufferings and called for an immediate action by the authorities concerned to address the situation. The CAB believes doctors' strike by holding patients hostage is inhumane, unconstitutional and against human rights, the rights body said in a statement issued to the media on Wednesday.
As a result of this strike, so many surgeries at hospitals remain suspended. Ward boys and nurses were looking after the patients. Patients are already grappling with problems like an unbridled rise in the prices of medicine, distribution of expired drugs and paying higher than maximum retail prices of medicines.
"The patients are suffering a lot due to the strike of doctors at government hospitals," says the CAB.
The CAB strongly urges the government to hold discussions with the leaders of the trainee and intern doctors and meet their logical and fair demands.

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