Mumbai
Medical students go on strike

Mumbai, (PTI): Medical students across Maharashtra launched an indefinite strike from Friday opposing the Centre's move to increase the number of years for the MBBS course.

Interns and students went on the strike despite warning by Maharashtra Government that they will not be allowed to write exams if they did not call off the stir, P Shingare, Dean of Government-owned J J Group of Hospitals, said.

Almost 24,000 MBBS students and interns are taking part in the agitation, Shingare said.

They are opposing the proposal to increase the number of years for the MBBS course to six-and-half from the present five-and-half. A Bill in this regard is likely to be introduced in the winter session of Parliament.

Medical interns and students say they do not mind working in rural areas for six months or one year, but it should be within the stipulated study period of five-and-half years.

"We want the government to upgrade the Primary Health Centres by providing basic equipment like ECG machines and ventilators, and also make the doctors there permanent," Gurjan Sharma, spokesperson of the Maharashtra Medical Students Association, said Friday evening.

"We have no problem serving people in rural areas, but the government should fulfil the basic needs of the doctors as well as patients," he said.

There should be a proper recruitment procedure and doctors should not be treated like contract workers, Sharma added.

Mumbai

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