House surgeons on Monday gheraoed principal of the Osmania Medical College Dr N. Sudarshan Rao demanding his signature on their internship certificates that would enable them to sit for PG entrance exam. Dr Rao initially refused to sign their certificates, as per DME’s orders for taking part in the strike. But he later relented.

Doctors from the Telangana Government Doctors’ Association went to the Secretariat late on Monday night to mediate and discuss the junior doctors’ issues. They met medical education minister K. Murali. However, there was no major breakthrough.

While the senior Telangana doctors said that they will speak to the junior doctors on Tuesday regarding the meeting, junior doctors stated that they have not officially received any intimation from the government, nor have they been called for talks. The junior doctors said they will continue with their intensified agitation on Tuesday as well.

Meanwhile, in the absence of the junior doctors, most additional doctors were pressed into service at emergency departments, leaving only a handful of specialists to treat OPD and in-patients. According to information received, barely 30 to 40 per cent cases in these departments were attended to on Monday.