The Andhra Pradesh high court on Monday directed the government doctors, particularly junior medicos, not to go on strike for any reason, but to serve a notice to the authorities concerned on their grievances / demands for redressal.
While disposing of a public interest petition filed against the junior doctors’ strike in Feb 2012, the bench comprising of acting Chief Justice PC Ghose and Justice Noushad Ali, directed the government to take measures for redressing the grievances placed before it by the doctors within three days from the date of serving notice by the latter. It also directed the government to ensure security to the on-duty doctors from being manhandled by the patients’ party. It wanted the government to provide the required medical facilities to the patients.
Earlier, PV Krishnaiah, arguing on behalf of the petitioner S Raju, said the junior doctors went on strike because of government’s failure to provide sufficient stipend. In fact, the junior doctors have been organising strikes to address their grievances since 10 years. And usually, poor patients are the victims because of these strikes, he added. S Sriram, counsel for Junior doctors association, said the government has failed to show a permanent solution to the issues raised by doctors.
On the other hand, N Sreedhar Reddy, senior counsel for government, said that the medical education department has been reviewing the junior doctors stipends from time to time and been taking steps to redress problems faced by doctors as per the 2009 agreement reached between the government and junior doctors.