Stand-off between Andhra Pradesh government-doctors continues

Hyderabad: Medical services in government hospitals in Andhra Pradesh continued to be affected today as the stand-off between the government and the striking medicos persisted.

Asserting that it has accepted majority of the demands of striking medicos, the government today appealed to them to end their agitation.

"The government is fully sympathetic towards the agitated medical students. We have accepted 11 out of their 13 demands.

The stipend has been hiked to over Rs 20,000. It is not fair to demand Rs 29,000 or Rs 39,000. At least now, they should think with wisdom and end the agitation," state Medical Education Minister K Murali Mohan told reporters here.

He was speaking to reporters after emerging out from a meeting held by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy with the Group of Ministers (GoM) constituted to look into the issues of medicos.

Advertisement

State Primary Education Minister S Sailajanath, who is a member of the Group of Ministers, said the government accepted the first demand of regular payment of stipend by even changing the treasury rules.

The medicos, however, claimed that the government was not ready to give an assurance over their demands in writing.

Advertisement

While the government announced that it accepted 11 out of the 13 demands, it has not done anything concrete over the demands and was not ready to give it in writing, said Phani, a leader of the junior doctors.

He said the medicos would hold a meeting tomorrow to decide their future course of action.

Advertisement

The doctors have been agitating since last month, with some of them holding indefinite fast, in support of their demands. They held talks with the government several times but did not end their stir.

The junior doctors began boycotting emergency services since Friday last which resulted in medical services getting affected in the government hospitals.

Advertisement

While media reports claimed that several persons have died due to unavailability of medical services, the government and heads of some government hospitals said alternative arrangements have been made to ensure that the services were not interrupted.