The joint action council (JAC) of government doctors associations on Tuesday staged a protest demanding payment and promotion on a par with doctors in other States.
Members of Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA), Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association and Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association took part in the protest boycotting outpatient services.
N. Ravishankar, State secretary of TNGDA, said that doctors working in government medical college hospitals, government hospitals, primary health centres and ESI hospitals took part in the protest which was held across the State.
“We have been requesting the Tamil Nadu Government for time-bound promotion of government doctors on a par with doctors in other States. We have been demanding for promotions in the fourth, ninth and 13th years. A committee was constituted to study our demands and it recommended for promotions in the fourth, ninth and 13th years. We are now forced to stage protest as the government has not implemented the recommendations,” he said.
Mr. Ravishankar said that emergency services were not hit at the government hospitals due to the protest.
“The demand of the government doctors are genuine and we are not demanding a compensation higher than what doctors in other States receive. The Government doctors are playing a pivotal role in improving the health indices of Tamil Nadu,” he added.
