Patna: In protest of unmet demands and the denial of Bihar doctors wages based on biometric attendance, the Bihar Health Services Association (BHSA) has announced a three-day strike that would run from today, March 27, to March 29. The start of the strike this morning seriously disrupted patient care in Bihar Government hospitals.
Due to the strike patients who are seeking care are being turned away and are experiencing significant hardship. From Thursday through Saturday, BHSA doctors will be on strike to protest the actions of District Magistrates (DMs) and to demand their unfulfilled demands. Outpatient department (OPD) services in government hospitals, which employ BHSA doctors, will be discontinued during this time.
The Health Minister, Additional Chief Secretary, District Magistrates, and Civil Surgeon were formally informed by letter on Tuesday, according to BHSA spokesperson Dr Vinay Kumar. He cautioned that doctors may intensify their protest with harsher measures if the government does not favourably respond to their requests following the three-day strike.
The union pointed out that DMs in the districts of Madhubani, Gopalganj, and Sheohar have refused to pay doctors due to biometric attendance problems. Doctors allege that they were harassed and being treated disrespectfully.
Key Demands of BHSA Doctors
- Delayed Salaries Due to Biometric Attendance: Many doctors have not received salaries for months.
- Administrative Harassment: Doctors face undue scrutiny and mistreatment during inspections.
- Lack of Basic Facilities: Inadequate security, accommodation, and undefined working hours.
- Severe Staff Shortages: Hundreds of doctors take study leave annually for postgraduate and senior residency roles, yet their posts are not filled, increasing workload for remaining staff.
Dr. Kumar highlighted that doctors have been forced to go on strike because their repeated requests for the government to solve these issues—which include poor working conditions, home district postings, safety concerns, and salary delays—have not been answered.
In protest, doctors in Sheohar have already begun to boycott OPD services. Additional long-standing demands include home district postings, adequate personnel, adequate security, housing provisions, regular working hours, and updated biometric attendance regulations for physicians working emergency 24-hour shifts.
(The author, Vishwapati, is a senior journalist based in Patna. He may be contacted at vishwapati25@gmail.com)
