CHENNAI: The government doctors in Tamil Nadu initiated a non-cooperation protest from Monday (July 29) pressing for various demands including pay hike for them. The doctors have planned a series of protests by boycotting selected works in the coming weeks and culminate it with a total strike on August 27.
Speaking to Express Dr. P Balakrishnan, Convener of Federation of Government Doctors Association, said the government doctors from Monday will not attend the review meetings or maternal death audit meetings convened by the health department as part of the protest.
"From August 9 to 19, works related to the Chief Minister 's Comprehensive Health Insurance Scheme will be boycotted. On August 20, we will form a human chain. On August 23, 10 doctors will launch a hunger strike if the demands were not met till then. On August 27, we will go on strike one day work across the State and only emergency services will be provided.
The government doctors in recent months have been staging many protests over the long-pending demand of pay hike. Another key demand is reserving 50 percent of the seats in Post Graduation and Super-Speciality courses for the government doctors. "The government also should increase the doctors' strength depending upon the patients' strength in every government hospital," Dr. Balakrishnan added.