Junior doctors and senior residents suspended their strike and announced on Thursday night that they would join duties at various government teaching hospitals and health centres from Friday.
A delegation led by APJUDA president Nageswara Rao and senior resident Radhika Rani called on Minister for Health Kamineni Srinivas at Tenali and announced that they were calling off strike following an assurance given by Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu. The Indian Medical Association, Guntur facilitated the interaction between the Minister and the doctors.
The meeting comes a day after a delegation of doctors met Mr. Naidu at Rajahmundry on Wednesday. The CM told the doctors to call off strike and assured that he would solve all their issues.
“We hope that the CM will resolve the issues raised by us. We demand that the government replace voluntary medical service with either voluntary or obligatory. We also urge the government to provide residential quarters to senior residents who are willing to work in government hospitals. Most of the residents have not been paid salaries for six months,” Dr. Radhika Rani said.
A Joint Action Committee comprising junior doctors and senior residents was formed to raise these issues. The JAC members also said that the previous government had gone back on its commitment to resolve several contentious issues, including validation of certificates.
“The government should understand our problems too. Doctors who complete one year at government hospitals should be given credits, certificates and incentives so that some of them are motivated to join government service. The present system is also not good for further promotions as a doctor who opts for government service is given the post of assistant professor,” Dr. Radhika Rani said.
The Health Minister said the Chief Minister would soon convene a meeting and address all issues raised by junior doctors.
