As many as 42 junior doctors of Patliputra Medical College and Hospital, Dhanbad boycotted work on Friday and went on a strike to protest against pending salaries affecting OPD services during morning shifts, although emergency services and operation theatres function normally.

Junior doctors, who get a salary of Rs 43,000 per month, had not received their dues for the months of February and June.

Talking to The Telegraph Online, one of the doctors of the hospital said, “As frontline workers, we are risking our lives and the lives of our family members, but the government is not even providing us our salaries.”

“Our two main demands are immediate payment for the months of February and June, and the rationalization of our salary to bring it at par with RIMS Ranchi,” said one of the protesting doctors.

He added that they had given a notice to the hospital administration in advance but no steps to clear their payments have been made so far, compelling them to carry out the strike.

“Though some assurance regarding payment of the June salary has been given, no such assurance has been made for the February payment. The PMCH management has claimed that as allotment has not been received from the government, they can’t say when the pending salary will be given,” said a protesting doctor, adding that they will not resume work until they get some concrete assurance for their salaries.

“We also want similar pay to the RIMS junior doctors. Despite being located in the same state, there is a big difference in the salary of PMCH and RIMS junior doctors, who get over Rs 60,000 per month” said a doctor requesting anonymity.

“Though I am in Ranchi, I am in touch with the protesting doctors and am trying to convince them to join work,” said PMCH superintendent, Dr Arun Kumar Chaudhary.

“We are taking steps to pay the pending salaries and I have already forwarded the file to the Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare department, as the issue is not related to us, and is pending at the department level. We couldn’t make payments due to lack of allotments,” he said.