UP Bonded Doctors on Day 7 of Hunger Strike; No Government Representative Has Held Talks

Lucknow- Bonded MBBS medical officers of Uttar Pradesh continue their sit-in at the 1090 Chauraha in Lucknow on the 11th day of their strike. Thursday marks the 7th day of the hunger strike they began on October 16. The doctors say no government representative has come to talk to them so far. On the sixth day of their hunger strike, Dr. Chahal’s health deteriorated, and he was transported to the hospital by ambulance.

With the fast continuing, concerns regarding the health of the protesting doctors are mounting.

The doctors belong to the 2018, 2019 and 2020 MBBS batches and are posted at CHCs and PHCs. In their representation to the Chief Minister they make two demands. The first is pay parity: they want Level-10 pay corresponding to ₹5,400 Grade Pay, along with allowances such as DA, HRA, NPA and TA, for bonded medical officers at CHCs/PHCs, at par with eligible bonded doctors in Government Medical Colleges. The second is a public apology from the government and UP Police for the alleged police brutality and the eight detentions of doctors between October 12 and 15.

The doctors say the MBBS course, internship, two-year mandatory bond and duties are comparable, yet they receive only a fixed remuneration of ₹50,000 to ₹65,000 a month. They describe this as contrary to the principle of equal pay for equivalent service, and their slogan is “One Bond, One Salary.” The doctors’ claim that CHC/PHC bonded doctors receive Rs 50,000-65,000 without allowances, while NHM doctors doing similar work earn over Rs 1 lakh.

According to the doctors, they have pursued the matter through representations and peaceful demonstrations for nearly a year. They say that during a protest in September, Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak visited the site on September 2 and assured them a Government Order (GO) would be issued by September 3, but they received only an in-principle proposal letter. Trusting the assurance, they ended the protest and resumed duty. They then held another protest without a GO, which they say was called off under government pressure. Medical Dialogues reported that in the meantime the doctors began an indefinite hunger strike on September 18, alleging that no order had been issued despite assurances. The same report said several doctors were detained when a delegation visited Finance Minister Suresh Khanna’s residence to present their demands.

The doctors claim that between October 12 and 15 they faced police brutality and were detained eight times. As announced in their representation, bonded doctors at CHCs/PHCs then began a hunger strike on October 16, to continue until a GO is issued. They say they will keep up peaceful, democratic demonstrations in Lucknow if necessary. On the 11th day of the strike and the 7th day of the hunger strike, they say no government representative has come for talks.

The protesting doctors have urged the wider medical fraternity, including seniors, juniors and all doctors, to stand with them. They demand that the promised Government Order be released at the earliest.