Protests by doctors continued throughout the State on Saturday. At the Directorate of Medical Services in Chennai, members of the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers’ Association, pricked their fingers and let drops of blood fall on a banner they had erected, said N. Gnanaprakasam, State president of the Association.
“We prepared a banner asking what would happen to public hospitals if the 50% service quota is not retained as it is. The health of the poor will be a big question. Around 400 primary health centre doctors pricked their fingers and allowed their blood to fall on the question mark of the banner,” he said.
The protesters have been demanding continuation of the State government’s 50 % service quota and the allotment of marks for experience and service in primary health centres. They want an ordinance to this effect.
According to a press release of the Doctors’ Association for Social Equality which had held a press meet in this regard on Saturday, the Association has asked for an ordinance to protect the service quota in postgraduate medical education. The Association said that if the service quota did not continue in the existing pattern, it would adversely affect the poor, as well as affecting government hospitals, primary health centres and doctors.
Association General Secretary G.R. Ravindranath also demanded that the seats of State government medical colleges be allotted to thestudents belonging to those States and nominal fees be fixed at private medical colleges.
A protest in this regard would be held on May 2 near the Chennai Collectorate, the press release said. State president, Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association K. Senthil said, “We have convened an urgent State executive committee meeting in Madurai on Sunday to decide on the next course of action.”
On Friday, the Chief Justice of Madras High Court agreed to constitute a Special Bench to hear the appeals moved by in-service candidates.
