A day before starting off the indefinite strike to force the authorities to release the unpaid salaries of over three months, the senior doctors under North Delhi Municipal Corporation (NDMC) hospitals have backed out, leaving the residents doctors who are already on strike since weeks confused and disappointed.

For our comprehensive coverage and latest updates on COVID-19 click here.

The Resident Doctors Association (RDA) feared that the deferral of senior doctors from joining the strike would weaken the movement while the authorities would not consider their demand seriously. "We are disappointed that our patrons have failed to join us in the movement despite assuring us their valuable support. Their solidarity would have lead momentum to our cause which is to end the recurring issue of salary delay by the NrMCD," said a disappointed Dr Sagardeep Bawa, Vice President of Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of Hindu Rao Hospital (HRH) which is spearheading the strike against NrMCD.

Bawa also said that the absence of senior doctors from the strike may not yield a conclusive result. "The delay in salaries by NrMCD is a recurring issue and this time, we have resolved to arrive at a conclusion. If we had our seniors by our side, we would have created more pressure on the authorities for a permanent solution of our grievances," he added.

The resident doctors of HRH, Kasturba Gandhi Hospital and Rajan Babu TB Hospital are on indefinite strike since the last two weeks with demand of immediate release of their salaries pending over four months. The doctors have absolved themselves from all the services, except emergency. The corporation had released one-month salary of all the doctors last week. However, the dues of three more months are still pending to be released.

The municipal corporation doctors association had announced to join the indefinite strike of resident doctors of Hindu Rao Hospital from October 19 onwards. The Municipal Corporation Doctors' Association (MCDA) had stated that they were appalled with the situation where the NrMCD has failed to arrange the funds for the healthcare workers, including them. However, citing the probable inconvenience the strike would cause patients and considering the appeal of the Mayor NrMCD, to give him some time to arrange funds, the senior doctors reconsidered their decision to proceed on scheduled strike, the statement by MCDA said.

"In order to avoid the likely inconvenience our strike will cause to patients and considering the appeal of the Mayor/North MCD to senior doctors to give him some time to arrange funds, this Association reconsidered its decision to proceed on scheduled strike.

"After having detailed discussion with our members on the subject, it has been decided that corporation should be given some more time to arrange funds and to find permanent solutions to this recurring salary problem with the help of Central or State government. Accordingly, it has been decided to defer the indefinite strike for time being in general public interest with the hope that in the meanwhile Corporation will find a permanent solution of the salary issue," the statement read. However, the MCDA also said that it will reconsider their decision if the pending salaries are not paid within a week.