Doctors to relaunch non-cooperation strike
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The doctors in the health service will relaunch their non-cooperation strike against the government’s lackadaisical attitude in addressing anomalies in the Tenth Pay Commission recommendations.
The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA), which is spearheading the agitation, said they were forced to go for a non-cooperation strike after the government violated the terms and conditions arrived at the compromise discussions.
The government had issued an order on October 22 after talks were held with the association. But the order was issued without incorporating the decisions that were taken at the September 22 meeting with the Health Minister, KGMOA president Dr V Madhu and general secretary Dr A K Raoof said. Moreover, the government was not ready to re-look into the order as demanded by the association, they said.
As part of the non-cooperation strike, the doctors will not cooperate with the Comprehensive Primary Health Programme and Aardram. They will also boycott VIP duties, trainings, meetings, medical camps and pay ward admissions. However, the leaders said that they would cooperate with Sabarimala duty.
Stating that cutting the salary of doctors was not a democratic step, they said the association will be forced to launch strong protests.
The KGMOA had on September 27 temporarily called off the indefinite agitation after an assurance that the anomalies in the Tenth Pay Commission recommendations would be rectified. At the meeting, the Government had promised that all the anomalies would be rectified within a month, they said.
One of the main demands of the KGMOA is to give back the salary that has been cut. Moreover, there was no increase in the allowance of doctors, including those working in casualty departments. The civil surgeon-assistant surgeon ratio has not been reconstituted to 1:3. Moreover, the government has not promoted doctors in retirement vacancies.