Junior docs seek govt orders on demands as strike enters 2nd day

Hyderabad: The Junior Doctors’ indefinite strike entered second day on Tuesday, resulting in outpatient services getting affected to some extent. The doctors have said they would continue the strike until a GO was issued by the government.

The junior doctors protested, chanting slogans at the Osmania Medical College and Gandhi Medical College. The doctors raised slogans of ‘CM should come’ at the office of the superintendent.

The talks between the state government and the doctors failed on Monday and the T-JUDA had decided to continue their strike on the second day on Tuesday. The doctors have boycotted the outpatient services and elective surgeries during their strike and continued the emergency services.

The demands of the JUDA include timely payment of stipends providing a Green Channel, providing security to the doctors at the hospital by setting up an outpost, construction of a new building for the Osmania Hospital, providing better roads at KMC, payment of stipend of Rs 1.25 lakh to super specialty senior residents. They have demanded that the AP students should not be given a chance in the increased 15 per cent seats in medical colleges.

The Hospital authorities have taken alternative measures like asking the services of senior doctors who were pressed in service, and the leaves of the doctors and assistants have been cancelled and they were asked to attend to their duties. Health Minister Damodar Rajanarsimha had talks with the doctors on Monday and agreed to a few demands. However, the doctors wanted the assurances in writing.

JUDA president Dr G Sai Sri Harsha said that when they met the officials they wanted them to prioritise their demands. He said that all the demands were crucial for them and they want not just assurances but in writing. The government should issue orders, he added.