Doctors at the Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital have planned a day’s token fast from 10 a.m. till 5 p.m. on Wednesday, to reiterate a number of demands including “proper relief” for families of doctors who died of COVID-19. If the government does not respond to then, they will intensify their agitation, the doctors have said.
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Their demands include “proper relief” for families of government doctors who died of COVID-19, and a pay band 4 at 12 years of service. Doctors from across the State are expected to participate in the token fast.
The government doctors held a dharna on October 20 in Madurai, but did not intensify their agitation following Health Minister Ma. Subramanian’s assurance that he would take the issue to the Chief Minister. When nothing came of the assurance, the doctors then held a dharma on January 19.
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The Legal Coordination Committee (LCC) for government doctors that has called for the agitation, said despite the promise that government doctors would be treated on par with soldiers, there has been no relief so far. The wife of a deceased doctor, Vivekandan, has not been given a government job on compassionate grounds till date, the Committee pointed out. The LCC had met the Health Minister in person along with the family of the deceased doctor for this.
“The previous government had promised in writing that the demands of the government doctors would be fulfilled,” said S. Perumal Pillai, President of LCC. Though many rounds of talks had been held nothing had happened. “We only request the government to give a decent salary to the lowest-paid government doctors on par with neighboring States,” he added..
The committee also demanded the implementation of Government Order 354 issued by CM M. Karunanidhi, to fulfil which the government would require only ₹300 crore, Dr. Perumal said.