SKIMS face off: Sr Residents reiterate strike call, say wont’ be cowed down by ‘ESMA’
Srinagar: While taking a serious note of the circular issued by the SKIMS administration, in which Essential Services Management Act (ESMA) was invoked against the striking doctors, Resident Doctors of SKIMS, while reiterating demand for work with dignity and honour has said that the SKIMS administration is trying to malign them.
While responding to the strict action that the administration threatened in a circular issued by Direction SKIMS, Dr A G Ahanger, the resident doctors said that doctors shall not be cowed down by such tactics as seek to suppress our worth and deny our rights.
“We instead advise the SKIMS administration to forfeit such tactics and work for the welfare of its residents so that further escalation of situation is avoided,” they said.
Doctors, they said, unanimously condemn the ‘outrageous’ and ‘misleading’ statements from SKIMS administration, and “stand firm with more zeal and zest towards the welfare of residents.”
The circular was issued after the senior residents of the hospital observed a token strike on Wednesday to press for their demands which include bringing them at par with the pay scale approved by the centre for ‘equal work, equal pay’.
Lambasting the claims of SKIMS administration that the vaccines for H1N1 have been provided to the doctors at SKIMS, the doctors said “Resident doctors understand their social responsibility and work for better Healthcare even when the residents and their families stand at risk. Residents are dealing with the crisis of H1N1 without being vaccinated as no such arrangement has been made by SKIMS administration. No protective gears are provided to SKIMS Resident Doctors and staff.”
Resident Doctors of SKIMS urged upon the government to understand their demands and address the grievances at the earliest.
“We are always open to negotiations in a cordial atmosphere with SKIMS administration and the Government and welcomes any positive step towards the same,” doctors said, adding, “we are not proponent of strikes but we are left with no other option.”
While warning if their genuine demands are not fulfilled within the stipulated time as proposed by SKIMS administration, which is three weeks, doctors shall be forced to go on indefinite strike including emergencies.
“We hereby inform general public and government that resident doctors shall be forced to go on indefinite if our genuine demands are not fulfilled within the stipulated time,” they said, adding “we understand our responsibilities but unfortunately, administration and the government doesn’t care for our rights.”
KV Correspondent
