Striking Doctors Demand Intervention of Kerala Government At The Earliest

After a prolonged hunger strike, doctors from all professional organizations have come together to express that the government must hold discussions with Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) to meet their demands at the earliest.

"Many of the demands, including the call for night duty off, is veritable. A doctor cannot be forced to slog for long hours, which could in turn adversely affect patient care. And as such there is a need to fill the mounting vacancies, which is another demand raised by KGMOA," said Dr Sreejith N Kumar, President, Indian Medical Association.

Kerala Government Medical College Teachers Association state president Dr K Mohanan said, "The issue should be resolved at the earliest and if the agitation continues, it would cause severe hardship to the common man."

Kerala Government Specialist Doctors Association secretary Dr Sunjith Ravi also called upon the government to chalk out an amicable solution. Noting that the Association stood with KGMOA on the issues related to night duty off, promotion and private practice, he said they had other demands that have been neglected. He mentioned that the association was against downgrading specialty hospitals to Community Health Centers. He said that they were against including rural service in PG service quota as it would not benefit the specialty cadre as the specialist were working only at the taluk or district hospitals. He said the private guidelines should be brought out at the earliest. On the PG Deputation issue, he said that it should be for all those who completed probation.

Expressing solidarity with the doctors, Kerala Government Post Graduate Medical Teachers Association state president Dr Ajith Prasad J S said that all issues raised by the doctors in health service was true. The doctors should not be over burdened with work and if so it could adversely affect their output. "There is a dearth of doctors in the health service and all these vacant posts should be filled immediately," he said.

Kerala Medical Post Graduate Association secretary Dr Sharath Thomas Roy and Indian Psychiatric Society (Kerala) general secretary Dr Jayaprakash K P said the government should change its adamant stand of denying the rightful demands of the doctors at the government hospitals.



Source: Medindia