Kolkata, Aug 7 (IANS) Junior doctors of two state-run hospitals here withdrew their indefinite strike and resumed work Thursday morning after getting an assurance from the state’s health and finance department of a stipend hike from Sep 1. “The finance and health departments have assured the junior doctors Wednesday evening that there will be an increase of about 65 percent in their stipend,” state Finance Minister Asim Dasgupta told reporters here.

Over 800 junior doctors of SSKM Hospital and Medical College and Hospital went on strike Monday demanding a rise in their stipend. As a result medical services in the OPDs, emergency and general wards were crippled for the last three days and patients had to return home unattended.

“We know how much the patients have suffered because of the strike. But we too were helpless and were fighting for our rights. We hope we won’t have to take similar steps in future,” Sayani Pal, a junior doctor at SSKM, told IANS.

The junior doctors started attending emergency wards late Wednesday night and resumed normal services Thursday morning.