Junior doctors to strike work from today

Hyderabad: Around 1,500 junior doctors working in various teaching hospitals in the State have decided to boycott elective duties from Wednesday in protest against the Telangana government's proposed move to hike age of teaching faculty working in government medical colleges.

This is likely to affect services in hospitals like Osmania General Hospital, Gandhi, MGM Hospital (Warangal), Sarojini Devi Eye hospital, ENT hospital, MNJ Cancer hospital, Chest and TB Hospital, Government Maternity Hospitals at Petla Burj and Sultan Bazar etc.

Junior doctors have strongly opposed this move last year when government gave indications to increase retirement age and this time their response is no different.

From the time, Health Minister Eatala Rajender made this statement last week, junior doctors raised their voice against it.

Junior doctors from Osmania Medical College working in various hospitals like OGH, Sarojini, Niloufer have boycotted elective duties on June 17 and 18.

On Tuesday, they took a decision to stay away from OPD (Out-Patient Department) and Ward duties indefinitely. A strike notice to this effect was also given in DME office on Tuesday afternoon.

Elaborating details, Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) chairman Dr PS Vijayender Goud wanted that the government immediately go for recruitment to fill vacant teaching posts in government medical colleges.

"Of the identified 1,750-odd posts, notification is due for nearly 1,300 posts. The need of the hour is immediately filling the vacancies and it will automatically address the staff shortage woes," he said.