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The outdoor and emergency services at the Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH) and the Darbhanga Medical College and Hospital (DMCH) continue to be affected for the fifth day on Monday due to an indefinite strike by 800-odd junior doctors. According to reports, the doctors strike has so far claimed lives of 38 patients. "Work at emergency and other wards of the Patna Medical College Hospital in Patna and Darbhanga Medical College Hospital at Darbhanga have been seriously hit by the strike," a news channel quoted official sources, as saying. Meanwhile, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has said that the junior doctors should withdraw the strike as soon as possible. "The timing of the strike is completely wrong and anti-people. It should have been amicably resolved, instead of resorting to a stir," Kumar said. The striking juniors are pressing for introduction of payscale system in place of existing stipend system, which they get in lieu of work while pursuing their postgraduate studies. The juniors get Rs 13,000 per month as stipend in the first year and it goes up by Rs 1,000 in each of the remaining two years during which they complete the PG course.

Junior doctors' strike in Bihar claims 38 lives