SKIMS badly hit by Resident Doctors Strike

Srinagar: SKIMS, the premier public healthcare institution of Kashmir on which millions of Kashmiris depend for their heath care needs, witnessed patients and their attendants having terrible times on Saturday due to strike called by the resident doctors association (RDA) of SKIMS, they have called for an indefinite strike on Friday against non-fulfillment of their demands regarding removal of pay anomaly.  Both outpatient and casualty departments remained closed due to a strike by the resident doctors.

Pertinently, a memorandum by RDA SKIMS addressed to government has insisted that the strike would continue till a written commitment in addressing their demands was not issued. The demands include bringing the pay band of SKIMS resident doctors at par with that of resident doctors of PGI and AIIMS, implementation of 7th pay commission recommendation and timely release of 7th pay commission arrears.

Painfully enough for patients, the strike has affected all hospital facilities, including emergency, resulting in inconvenience to patients, many of whom had come from far off places to seek treatment. Reports state that Many patients admitted at SKIMS for surgeries were discharged due to shortage of doctors.

Gulzar Ahmed, a patient stated – “ The resident Doctors strike here at SKIMS has brought functioning of this premier public health care hospital to grinding halt. It was for the first time that emergency block of SKIMS had been closed. Emergencies were always kept functional in the past irrespective of the nature of the strikes . The authorities should wake up and settle the issues as these type of strikes take a heavy toll on we the patients and causes huge damage.” (KNB)