Mumbai medical officers continue strike at Azad Maidan

The medical officers at the Mumbai government hospitals, who are on an indefinite-strike, today staged dharna at Azad Maidan here.

"Over 4,000 medical officers, including those from dental division, today participated in the dharna at Azad Maidan. We have not received any communication from the state government," said Dr Rajesh Gaikwad, of Maharashtra State Association of Gazetted Medical Officers (MAGMO).

Medical services in Vidarbha, western Maharashtra, and Marathawada had been affected due to the strike, he claimed, adding that medical officers did not want to call off the strike till the demands were met. Civil surgeons and District Health Officers (DHO) will participate in the dharna tomorrow, he said.

MAGMO's demands include regularisation of employment of MBBS doctors who have been hired on temporary basis, increase in the retirement age from 58 to 62, and fixation of duty hours.