Junior doctors in England to stage 4-day walkout in April

Thousands of junior doctors in England will go on a four-day strike next month due to ongoing dispute over pay, their union announced on Thursday.

Members of the British Medical Association (BMA) will hold a "second round" of strike for four days on April 11-14, as the union members went on strike for 72 hour on March 11-13.

BMA said in a statement that the fresh strike came with "the highest-ever number of junior doctors" voting for walkout and a record turnout.

"A crippling cost-of-living crisis, burnout and well below inflation pay rises risk driving hard working doctors out of their profession at a time when we need them more than ever," it added.

The statement noted that the union will call for further walkouts if the government refuses to offer "a full pay restoration."

"If junior doctors are forced out of the NHS because of poor pay and conditions, the services we all rely on to look after our loved ones will suffer," it warned.