Patients suffer as docs on strike for pay hike

Demand salary hike, 13 doctors of Dinajpur Diabetes Hospital yesterday started an indefinite strike, badly hampering the treatment there.

Around 500 diabetes patients from different districts daily receive treatment at the hospital located at Dinajpur Satellite town, hospital sources said.

During a visit to the 30-bed hospital in the afternoon, this correspondent found many patients from far and near areas waiting for long in the hospital complex. Some were returning, as there was no hope of early resumption of medical service.

Accompanying a diabetes patient from Thakurgaon, Md Kazal came to the hospital in the morning but he was frustrated to hear about the indefinite strike.

"Tired of waiting since morning, I am going back home without any treatment as there is no sign of ending the doctors' indefinite strike," Bulbul Chowdhury, a patient from Chirirbandar upazila of Dinajpur, said at around 3:00pm.

Afsar Ali, a senior doctor of the hospital, said they had been demanding that the hospital authorities raise their salary for the last three and a half months.

"I have joined the hospital in 2006 for a monthly salary of Tk 18,000. After 10 years, now I am getting Tk 35,000," said another doctor seeking anonymity.

The doctors joined the hospital with the condition of not doing private practice, said hospital sources.

On Thursday and Friday, meetings were held between the agitating doctors and hospital authorities to solve the crisis but to no end result, said the doctors.

Shafiqul Haque Chhutu, general secretary of Dinajpur Diabetes Hospital, said, "Demanding pay rise, the doctors of the hospital started an indefinite strike today [Saturday], causing sufferings to the patients.

Terming the strike as illegal, he said, "As per the contract, the doctors can't do any kind of agitation and private practice."

"We offered a proposed salary plan for them, but they rejected it. The hospital is currently spending Tk 7.73 lakh 951 as salary for the 13 doctors," he added.