TNN

Bangalore, May 2: Junior doctors are on strike again - their second in six months. The Karnataka State Junior Doctors’ Association who put down their steths on Friday said their demands were not being met.

Around 1,400 junior doctors - PG students and house surgeons - from across the state are on strike. Their demands include an increase in stipend and protection from attacks by patients’ families.

The strike is sure to impact healthcare in government teaching hospitals, and may also affect screening of passengers at BIA.

But the medicos appear to have chosen the wrong season to strike - there are sporadic cases of chikungunya and the high-level alert on swine flu spreading global gloom will fetch them little sympathy.

Senior doctors are also annoyed. “Though they have announced a strike, the health commissioner has warned doctors against taking unnecessary leave and asked them to depute six junior doctors on a daily basis to BIA to screen passengers,” said Bangalore Medical College dean and director Dr G T Subash. With the election code of conduct in place, the health ministry cannot increase their stipend.