MARD seeks fixed shifts as resident doctors forced to work 24-36 hours

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Overwork, more often than not, is what breaks the camel's back, as a 20-year-old resident doctor with Lokmanya Tilak Municipal Medical College is finding out. The overworked medico is undergoing treatment for anxiety, one of the many facts that highlights the enormous stress most resident doctors are put under - working 24 hours, and at times even 36, at a stretch.

Under stress
"We don't get time to sleep or eat, which not only weakens our immune system, but also leads to anxiety and depression. I am on medication for over a month now, and I am not alone; others are going through the same, but there is no one to hear our woes," said the third-year MBBS student.

Maharashtra Association of Resident Doctors (MARD) has given a written application to the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), demanding fixed shifts for the medicos. The association held a meeting with Additional Municipal Commissioner I Z Kundan and DMER joint director Dr Pravin Shingare.

MARD speak
"These students are trainees; so there is a need to keep tabs on the hours they work. Working for 24-36 hours takes a toll on their health, making them vulnerable. How can anyone work continuously for so long? We've requested the authority to establish a timeframe and fix working hours," said Dr Lokeshkumar Chirwatkar, MARD president. Dr Shingare said they have got the complaints and would look into them.

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