The Telangana Junior Doctors’ Association continued to boycott elective services at Osmania General Hospital and Gandhi Hospital on on Thursday to protest the proposed increase in retirement age of teaching faculty.
The striking doctors gathered at the Out-Patient Block of the OGH where they began to write postcards to the Governor of Telangana E.S.L. Narasimhan so as to attract his attention to their demands. The junior doctors described the proposal to increase the retirement age of doctors from 58 to 65 as ‘unilateral’ and ‘hasty’. They also discouraged the government from issuing a government order to this effect without consulting all the stakeholders.
Later in the day, a team of eight members of T-JUDA went to Raj Bhavan and submitted a representation explaining the situation and their stand on the proposed increase in retirement age, and sought Mr. Narasimhan’s intervention.
The representation also underscored their demands for implementing Career Advancement Scheme and the appointment of board members for the Medical and Health Services Recruitment Board.
The strike is expected to continue with members of the T-JUDA confirming that they would continue to boycott elective services. They would stage a one-day hunger protest on Friday.
It was in May last year that the State Cabinet approved the increase in retirement age. But its implementation was stalled after protests by associate professors. A further delay was on account of the Model Code of Conduct being in force.
