They said health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha had promised to meet them after the cabinet meeting on June 25, following an earlier assurance that their demands would be discussed on June 24.
Hyderabad:With the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA) announcing an indefinite strike from Monday, the superintendent of Gandhi Medical College has directed all departments to ensure uninterrupted patient care through alternate arrangements.
The superintendent has cancelled all leave for medical staff as it braces for the impact of the strike, which is expected to affect services across government hospitals. All house surgeons, undergraduates, postgraduates and super-specialty residents will participate in the strike until their demands are addressed. The Junior Doctors Network of the Indian Medical Association has extended its support.
The junior doctors have demanded stipend hikes as per GO 59, effective from January 2025, the timely release of stipends via a green channel, regular recruitment of faculty, scholarships and fee reimbursements for OBC, SC, ST and EWS students and resolution of stipend irregularities in private medical colleges.
They said health minister Damodar Rajanarsimha had promised to meet them after the cabinet meeting on June 25, following an earlier assurance that their demands would be discussed on June 24. However, the doctors said they have received no communication from the minister, the director of medical education Dr Narendra Kumar or the health secretary Dr Christina Chongthu.
“In many colleges, senior residents haven’t received their stipends for over three months. Infrastructure is poor, with inadequate water, transport and lab facilities. It’s affecting our mental health. We have been left with no option but to strike,” said an intern from Osmania Medical College.
