THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Government medical college doctors across the state will go on an indefinite strike from Monday to protest the delay in paying the arrears since 2016. Doctors, under the banner of Kerala Government Medica College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), said their pay revision should have come into effect in 2016. Now, they are demanding the revised payment from 2016, thereby clearing the arrears.
The protests will begin on Monday with doctors protesting outside DME’s office and all medical colleges at 11am. On January 29, a token protest will be held from 8am to 11pm. During the period of token protests, OP facilities, elective surgeries and classes will not be held, the doctors said.
ICU, labour rooms, urgent surgeries and ward facilities will be excluded from the protest. They would also boycott all non-Covid meetings, board duties, VIP duties and pay ward admissions. On February 5, a 24-hour relay hunger strike will be held. Starting from February 9, all doctors will go on indefinite stir.
The KGMCTA office-bearers urged the government not to force doctors to take stronger actions. The association also alleged that the government by ignoring their rightful demands the government has betrayed doctors who have been in the forefront of Covid fight. The protests are a reaction to medical college doctors not making it to the list of government employees who were sanctioned pay revision.