VIJAYAWADA: Junior doctors in the state called off their strike on Wednesday after the state government agreed to their demands. Pressing their four major demands--ex gratia/health insurance for all frontline workers, Covid incentives to all junior doctors (including post-graduates and interns), increased security measures in hospitals, and TDS waiver on stipend-- the AP Junior Doctors’ Association had boycotted out-patient (OP) services at non-Covid hospitals in the state.
It had threatened to intensify the agitation by blocking all Covid-related emergency services on June 12 if the government failed to respond.However, Health Minister Alla Kali Krishna Srinivas and Principal Secretary (Health) Anil Kumar Singhal held talks with the junior doctors to avoid hindrances in medical services during the pandemic.Siddhartha Medical College president Dr S Karthik Goud said junior doctors across the state worked by wearing black badges as a mark of protest for the last three days.
“During the talks, the government assured to implement two of our demands: ex-gratia/ health insurance for all frontline workers, and resolving the TDS issue for stipend pay,” he added. The minister has also said that the government is exploring possibilities to increase the stipend by 15 per cent or even more.
The health officials also approved super-speciality medical services free of cost for Covid-infected doctors, Dr Karthik added.