VIJAYAWADA: Public healthcare services across Andhra Pradesh face severe disruption as the AP Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) announced a total boycott of emergency medical services starting at 8 am on Monday. The decision marks the launch of Phase III of their ongoing statewide agitation, triggered by the government’s failure to deliver a written, time-bound commitment regarding long-pending stipend revisions prior to the August 15 deadline.
The strike stems from persistent delays by the State government in revising stipends, despite months of representations and peaceful delegations submitted by APJUDA. After initially limiting their protest to non-essential outpatient and elective duties to safeguard patient welfare, the association escalated it to a comprehensive boycott—extending to critical emergency services— following the expiration of their 5 PM deadline on August 15 without an official response from healthcare authorities.
The total boycott will see resident doctors, medical interns, junior residents, super-speciality postgraduates, senior residents, and doctors deployed under the District Residency Programme (DRP) scheme completely boycott critical care areas. Non-emergency healthcare services will also remain fully suspended across all government teaching hospitals, superspeciality units, and peripheral medical colleges.