(MENAFN) Thousands of resident doctors in England staged a strike Friday, marking the 13th walkout since March 2023, as tensions over pay disputes with the government intensify. The industrial action is scheduled to continue through Tuesday, raising concerns over potential disruptions to patient care.

NHS leaders warned that the strike could reduce frontline staffing and trigger further delays or cancellations of appointments and surgeries.

Government ministers have so far resisted calls for a new pay offer. The health secretary has declined to meet demands for a significant raise, despite mounting pressure.

The British Medical Association stated that resident doctors, formerly known as junior doctors, require a 26% pay rise to make up for income lost to inflation.

The union argued that years of below-inflation settlements have left staff undervalued and overstretched, while the government maintains that current pay levels are fair and further increases would be unaffordable.

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