PANAJI
Goa Association of Resident Doctors on Saturday threatened a strike over the issue of withdrawal of accommodation facilities given to all resident doctors working at ESI Covid Hospital in Margao and South Goa District Hospital.
The administrators of Covid hospitals have allegedly asked all resident doctors working at these two hospitals to vacate their accommodation by Sunday while assuring them transport to and from Goa Medical College and Hospital, Bambolim.
GARD has over 250 members, around 50 to 60 of whom are presently posted at ESI Covid Hospital and SGDH in Margao.
In a press statement issued by the President of GARD Dr Pratik Savant, the body has stated that its members have been informed by the administrators of Covid hospitals that all resident doctors working at ESI and SGDH will have to vacate their accommodation by Sunday itself and that transport will be arranged to and from GMC. However, no official order or intimation has been issued yet.
“Regular travel of resident doctors over such long distances is exhausting after prolonged duties in Covid hospital with PPE. Apart from this, there are resident doctors, posted in critical areas that are on call 24x7 and it will be next to impossible for them to attend calls with a travel transit of one hour. The safety of resident doctors, especially females, during such a transit is also questionable, more so after night duties,” GARD has stated.
Shockingly, the resident doctors have been informed by authorities that they can continue to use the accommodation facilities provided they pay from their own pockets. “Most of our Junior Residents are working diligently despite irregular salaries since the last five months and now we are being asked to pay for our stay for serving the people of Goa in Covid-19 pandemic which is unacceptable,” GARD has said.
It has been learnt from reliable sources that the issue has cropped up with hotel owners demanding payments due to them for the renting of their premises by the government. A similar issue had reportedly surfaced a few weeks ago and had been handled by the authorities.
Threatening a strike over the issue, GARD members stated, “All of us are distressed with such a decision and are left with no other option but to retract our services from ESI/SGDH. We are waiting for the government to resolve the issue and will withhold services till further response from the government.”
