The Kerala Medicos Joint Action Council representing junior doctors, PG students and house surgeons, decided to continue its agitation, dumping Sunday’s agreement signed between its representatives and Health minister K.K. Shyalaja that had ended the stir.
The Health Minister, who was embarrassed by the turn of events, made it clear that she would wield the iron fist in dealing with the unjustified agitation. The government had adopted a favourable approach towards the demands of the junior doctors and the decision to continue with the stir would put the government under pressure. The Minister said she had asked medical officials to provide the attendance figures and if the agitation continued at the cost of hospital services, the government would take strong action.
A section of the junior doctors decided to continue the agitation on the ground that the Minister had failed to give any new assurances during the conciliation talks. This section informed the Minister that they had removed the four office-bearers who were the signatory to the agreement as part of the decision to go continue the stir.
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The junior doctors under the banner of the Kerala Medicos Joint Action Council had launched their indefinite agitation from Wednesday, disrupting services in the medical college hospitals. Their main demand was the withdrawal of the government decision to raise the pension age of doctors, creation of more posts, reduction of the validity period of the bonds they are required to sign and creation of more promotion avenues.
It was decided at Sunday’s talks that Additional Chief Secretary (Health) Rajiv Sadanandan would hold separate discussions on the demand for reducing the validity period of the bonds. Mr. Sadanandan reportedly held discussions on this issue, but a decision could not be arrived at till late in the night.