HYDERABAD: Trouble continues to brew in major government hospitals of Telangana with three separate government junior doctors associations and the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T- JUDA) giving a week’s time to the government to accept their demands. If their demands are not met, the strike would begin on May 25.
The junior doctors of Kakatiya Medical College, Osmania Medical College, Nizamabad Medical College and TJUDA have demanded a 15 per cent hike in stipend, 10 per cent incentives announced previously by the State government, a separate block in Nizam’s Institute Of Medical Sciences (NIMS) to treat healthcare workers and their families under insurance cover.
They also demand ex gratia for families of healthcare workers who have succumbed to Covid-19.
Hike for some but senior resident docs left out
On Tuesday, the government relented and approved one of the demands, albeit partially. A government order (GO) by the Health, Medical and Family Welfare announced that a 15 per cent hike will be given on the existing stipend to 4 categories of students — house surgeons, PG students, PG Diploma, superspeciality students. However, this order has left out a hike for senior resident doctors.
“Our strike will continue because we have three other demands as well of getting our rightful incentive, separate hospital facility for doctors and ex gratia by the State government,” said Dr Naveen V, T-JUDA president.
Hike W.E.F 2021, not 2020
He also highlighted that while the G.O fulfilled one of their first demands of a 15 per cent hike, it was with effect from 2021, and not 2020, which is when it was promised, effectively making the junior doctors lose one year of hike.
‘Give us salaries on time’
Senior Resident doctors who have been deputed across Telangana are also planning to go on strike demanding a 10 per cent incentive and salaries on time.“We have worked for one year through two deadly waves without any incentive, any accommodation. We are planning to boycott our duties,” said a senior resident.