Doctors affiliated to the Federation of Government Doctors’ Association (FOGDA) boycotted out-patient services and in-patient care, as part of the indefinite strike starting Friday.
The federation said more than 60-70% of the total 18,000 doctors in the State were taking part in the strike to demand better pay and promotions.
Barring emergency care, the doctors’ association decided to boycott other work after the State government failed to fulfil some of their long-pending demands – implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression with pay band-4 at the end of 13 years of service instead of the present 20; maintenance of doctor posts as per the number of patients; 50% service quota in post-graduation admissions; and conduct of counselling for posting service post-graduates.
“Over 60-70% of government doctors across the State are part of the indefinite strike. In Chennai, we have started to gather at Tower Block – I of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. We had stated our demands very clearly during our earlier talks with the State government. We want the government to fulfil what they had assured us,” said A. Ramalingam, convenor of FOGDA.
Emergency services
He said emergency services would not be affected as doctors were on duty in the emergency units, intensive care units, coronary care units, deliveries, paediatric and neonatal intensive care units and fever wards.
R. Jayanthi, dean of RGGGH, said the strike had no impact on the outpatient services. “95 % of our doctors have turned up for duty. All services are running as usual,” she said.
In August-end, six doctors of FOGDA had launched an indefinite fast, following which the Health Minister promised to look into their demand for pay band-4 at 13 years of service in six weeks time.
The six weeks ended on October 8. As no concrete measure was taken, the FOGDA decided to go on indefinite strike, doctors said.
Another faction — the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors’ Association — has also decided to launch a 48-hour strike on October 30 and 31.
Doctors affiliated to FOGDA also staged a protest outside the Mahatma Gandhi Memorial Government Hospital in Tiruchi.
Outpatient services were hit at the hospital though emergency services were not affected.
Speaking to The Hindu, A. Thangavel, district organiser, FOGDA, said the doctors attached to four associations including Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association and Democratic Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association took part in the strike. demanding time bound pay promotion, 50% service quota for post-graduate seats, routine posting counseling for PGs and maintaining number of doctors based on needs of patients as opposed to norms laid by the Medical Council of India.
