Andhra Pradesh government may put GO No 64 on hold

Guntur: The state government is likely to keep the controversial GO No 64 in abeyance following the protests by Government Doctors Association (GDA) and Indian Medical Association, it is learnt.

The doctors have even boycotted the International Doctors' Day celebrations and sent a memorandum to the Chief Minister's peshi and submitted petitions to health minister demanding that the government to withdraw the GO immediately.

The government issued GO No 64 transferring some powers of the district medical and health officials to the joint collectors sparking protests from doctors.

The doctors' associations have threatened to launch agitation against the GO which they say, is against their interests as service and other matters can only decided by department officials who have knowledge of health and medical issues, not the IAS officials.

It is reliably learnt that the government will take suggestions and advice of the Government Doctors Association and IMA either to withdraw the orders or to amend the directives.

The AP Government Employees Association (APGEF) and AP Non-Gazetted officers' Association (APNGOs) have extended their support to the Government Doctors Association in opposing the order.

According to the sources, the government invited the GDA leaders for talks and later cancelled the meeting due to unknown reasons. The GDA is expressing confidence that the government will withdraw the GO.

The GO reduced the powers of the district medical and health officers and transferred to the joint collectors. The DMHOs don't have either an association or union. Against this backdrop, the GDA and IMA took up protests on behalf of DMHOs.