AP PHC Doctors to Halt Outpatient Services From Oct 3
The association has submitted a strike notice to the Director of Public Health, Dr P Padma Sasidhar, and higher authorities, giving the government a five-day window before launching agitation
By : Sampat G. Samritan
Update: 2025-09-30 10:12 GMT
Vijayawada: The government doctors working at primary health centres have pleaded with the state government to continue the 20 per cent in-service quota to enable them pursue post-graduation.
The doctors said they would stop all healthcare services at PHCs from October 1 and stage a protest at the offices of district medical and health officers. From October 3, they would stage a hunger strike in the city. As many as 1,142 PHCs are functional in AP with nearly 2,800 doctors.
They are also seeking time-bound promotions and have threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands are not met.
The doctors are already on the war path. They are not attending healthcare services at the PHCs from Sept 26, except for emergency and accident cases, so as to mount pressure on the state government. They held a meeting with health commissioner G Veerapandian and later announced their plans to intensify the protest. The talks remained inconclusive.
Their major concern is that they are not getting time-bound promotions. Some doctors are working in PHCs for upto 24 years without promotion. “At the same time, doctors working with the secondary health (AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad) service for as little as two years get promotion as deputy assistant civil surgeon – up from assistant civil surgeon,” they said.
The doctors are seeking continuation of the 20 per cent in-service quota for them to pursue PG courses in clinical subjects. They complain that the quota is getting trimmed year-on-year. “At present, the state health authorities have trimmed it to 15 per cent for 2025-26 from 20 per cent last year and from the 30 per cent in the previous years.
“We want the 15 per cent in-service quota to be expanded to all clinical subjects. It is now confined to only seven subjects,” they said.
The doctors said Tamil Naidu is providing 50 per cent in-service quota while Karnataka 40 per cent and Telangana 30 per cent to help PHC doctors pursue PG courses.
They said, “Though we are supposed to clear NEET-PG to get admission, the reduction in percentage of seats will deprive us of an opportunity to pursue PG courses. We cannot afford to study in private medical colleges by paying hefty fees.”
The doctors are also complaining that they are not being allowed to pursue PG courses under in-service quota through DNB (Diplomate of National Board). They allege denial of the 30 per cent tribal allowance even as they are working in the PHCs located in agency areas. Those working under the secondary health wing are being paid such allowance, they said.
Andhra Pradesh PHC doctors’ association president Dr Ravindra Naik said, “We are not getting what we are supposed to get. We don’t understand why AP is reducing PG in-service quota when other states are allocating more seats.”
They are also seeking time-bound promotions and have threatened to intensify their agitation if their demands are not met.
The doctors are already on the war path. They are not attending healthcare services at the PHCs from Sept 26, except for emergency and accident cases, so as to mount pressure on the state government. They held a meeting with health commissioner G Veerapandian and later announced their plans to intensify the protest. The talks remained inconclusive.
Their major concern is that they are not getting time-bound promotions. Some doctors are working in PHCs for upto 24 years without promotion. “At the same time, doctors working with the secondary health (AP Vaidya Vidhana Parishad) service for as little as two years get promotion as deputy assistant civil surgeon – up from assistant civil surgeon,” they said.
The doctors are seeking continuation of the 20 per cent in-service quota for them to pursue PG courses in clinical subjects. They complain that the quota is getting trimmed year-on-year. “At present, the state health authorities have trimmed it to 15 per cent for 2025-26 from 20 per cent last year and from the 30 per cent in the previous years.
“We want the 15 per cent in-service quota to be expanded to all clinical subjects. It is now confined to only seven subjects,” they said.
The doctors said Tamil Naidu is providing 50 per cent in-service quota while Karnataka 40 per cent and Telangana 30 per cent to help PHC doctors pursue PG courses.
They said, “Though we are supposed to clear NEET-PG to get admission, the reduction in percentage of seats will deprive us of an opportunity to pursue PG courses. We cannot afford to study in private medical colleges by paying hefty fees.”
The doctors are also complaining that they are not being allowed to pursue PG courses under in-service quota through DNB (Diplomate of National Board). They allege denial of the 30 per cent tribal allowance even as they are working in the PHCs located in agency areas. Those working under the secondary health wing are being paid such allowance, they said.
Andhra Pradesh PHC doctors’ association president Dr Ravindra Naik said, “We are not getting what we are supposed to get. We don’t understand why AP is reducing PG in-service quota when other states are allocating more seats.”