Government promises go to waste: Medical college doctors to boycott outpatient services from 16th

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Medical college doctors will boycott OP for an indefinite period from the 16th. There will also be an academic boycott. This is after the government's assurances to resolve issues including salary revision arrears fell through. Non-emergency surgeries will be boycotted for an indefinite period from the 19th. Casualty, labour room, ICU, bed treatment and postmortem examination will not be affected by the strike.

Kerala Govt. Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA) State President Dr. Roshanara Begum and General Secretary Dr. Aravind C.S. announced that they will boycott university examination work and related duties from the 26th. Ahead of the OP boycott, medical teachers, PTA members and students will light candles and protest in government medical colleges at 6.30 pm today.

Although the doctors had started an indefinite OP boycott from the 2nd of this month, they held discussions with the Additional Chief Secretaries of the Health and Finance Departments and the Director of Medical Education that evening. The boycott was withdrawn that night.

"The organisation is concerned about the difficulties faced by patients. The strike was forced to intensify because medical college doctors, who are public health servants, are not given even the same consideration as other government employees." - KGMCTA office bearers