Most of the doctors’ associations, which have been protesting for 17 days demanding that the government protect the rights of service doctors in PG admissions, have called off their strike.
The decision follows a meeting with Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar and Health Secretary J. Radhakrishnan on Friday.
The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association has called off the agitation it had planned for Saturday and Monday.
Association president K. Senthil said the mass casual leave on Saturday and total boycott of all services in government hospitals planned for Monday had been cancelled. The association had started its strike on April 19.
HC suggestion
Meanwhile, the Madras High Court on Friday suggested to the Health Secretary to invoke the provisions of the Essential Services Maintenance Act against protesting doctors if they do not pay heed to attempts by the government to persuade them to withdraw their boycott of hospitals.
A vacation bench headed by Justice N. Kirubakaran came up with the suggestion while dealing with a public interest litigation opposing the strike by doctors affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Doctors’ Association and other organisations including in-service candidates of PG medical courses.
