Government doctors on Monday launched a ‘non-cooperation movement’ protest across the State. They boycotted routine meetings with hospital deans, academic meetings, and departmental training programmes at all healthcare facilities. As a result, medical camps and blood donation drives organised by government hospitals were postponed, the protesters said.
The doctors are demanding pay parity with central government doctors and time-bound promotions. They had launched their protest in August with demonstrations and token protests outside district collectorates. The Joint Action Committee — the umbrella organisation for the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, Service Doctors Postgraduate Association, Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association and Government All Doctors Association — has proposed to boycott all postgraduate and undergraduate classes and MCI inspection procedure teams from September 1.
The doctors say the 7th Pay Commission recommendation makes little difference to their salary structure. The doctors are promoted to Pay Band 4 (which increases their salary to around ₹1 lakh) only after 20 years’ of service.
“We are the lowest paid doctors compared to Andhra and Karnataka. We want the government to take cognisance of our demand. We have given a proposal to the government to consider giving us the promotions at least at the end of 13 years,” said G. Chandrasekar, President of Greater Chennai District of TNGDA.
