From Wednesday onwards, the doctors of government medical colleges (GMC) who are at loggerheads with the government regarding several issues, which also includes salary dues since 2016, have planned to strengthen their protest. After two weeks, the protest will be further intensified if the complaints are not addressed. The doctors will boycott all their duties that are not directly related with patients or academics. 

 

The doctors are going to stage protests at many medical college hospitals and boycott all the VIP duty, extra duties, pay ward duty, non-COVID and non-emergency meetings against promises which are not kept about salary and allowance dues.

 

State president, Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA), Binoy S, said that they will reach out to the patients with the leaflets about why they were forced to protest on all days from 3rd March. There will also be a protest meet on 10th March and the doctors will carry a candle light protest in front of the Secretariat. 

 

KGMCTA, state secretary Nirmal Bhaskar said that if the government fails to address their demands, then they will start boycotting the out-patient services, elective surgeries and teaching too for 24 hours on 17th March. But services in labour room, surgery, casualty, ward duty, COVID treatment won’t be affected due to the protest. 

 

The doctors were also annoyed with the government for not correcting the salary differences in the entry cadre. On 29th January, the doctors had started the protest after the government had announced the revision on pay and payment dues for other government employees.

 

Source: The New Indian Express