Health sources say that on Tuesday, January 16, all non-medical employees of the health sector are preparing for a general strike. It is reported that 27 trade unions in the health sector are going to be involved in this strike.
The basic demand of the strike has been to demand that the Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance for doctors be given to other health workers as well. In addition, they said that they will express their displeasure to increase the DAT allowance of doctors from 35,000 to 70,000 rupees.
A series of token strikes launched by paramedic and paramedic health services unions disrupted health services for two days last week in hospitals.
The DAT allwance is special payment for medical professionals only, and medical associations have been negotiating with the government for nearly six years to increase the stipend.