CHENNAI: Government doctors in Tamil Nadu who were on indefinite strike for the last seven days stressing for various demands including pay hike ended their agitation today temporarily. This comes after an assurance from State Health Minister Dr C Vijaya Baskar that their demands will be discussed.
Speaking to Express, Dr A Ramalingam, member of Federation of Government Doctors Association (FOGDA) said, "We are temporarily withdrawing the protest after an appeal by the Health Minister to do so for the welfare of the public. We have been given assurance by the minister that our demands will be discussed in a special cabinet committee meeting".
The doctors began their indefinite strike on October 25 with five doctors going on to fast until death.
The health minister on Wednesday and Thursday had warned that the post of doctors who were not attending to duty would be filled by new recruits. At the same time, he also appealed to the doctors to withdraw the strike for the welfare of the people, stating that he would hold talks only when the doctors withdraw their protest.
The doctors have been agitating for four long-standing demands including a pay hike, time-bound promotions, increase in strength of doctors based on the patients' strength in hospitals as well as a 50 per cent reservation for doctors in PG medical courses.
The state government had assured to fulfil the medicos' demands in a meeting held between the doctor association and the government on August 27th earlier this year.
(With online desk inputs)