A case has been filed in the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the State government to bring to an end the ongoing strike by government doctors since communicable diseases were on the rise in view of the monsoon and poor patients were in dire need of treatment at government hospitals.
Advocate A.P. Suryaprakasam has filed the petition on the ground that hundreds of patients suffering from dengue had been reported across the State and most of them approach only government hospitals for treatment. In such a situation, it was not justifiable on the part of the doctors to go on strike, he said.
“Whatever may be the justification by the striking doctors, it cannot be a reason for denying people affected by dengue and other communicable diseases proper and speedy treatment at government hospitals. Now, the common man thinks his fundamental right to health is taken hostage by the adamant attitude of both the government and the doctors,” he said.
Stating that the prime demand of the doctors appeared to be the increase in their monthly salary from ₹80,000 to ₹1.2 lakh, the advocate said: “The striking doctors and the government cannot take a strident and adamant position. Some solution via media has to be found by both sides in the interest of poor people.”
