Talks with Health Secy fail, doctors to continue stir

As the government initiated talks with representatives of the federation failed, five doctors sat on a “fast unto death” on the premises of the Government Rajiv Gandhi GeneralHospital here, demanding the immediateintervention of Chief Minister EdappadiK Palaniswami.

The doctors were later called on for discussions with the Health Secretary Beela Rajesh, but the discussion reportedly did not reach a settlement. The doctors have not called off the strike and will continue to strike work on Saturday also.

In view of the strike by FOGDA, an umbrella outfit of five associations, inpatient and outpatient services were affected to a considerable extent. Emergency services, however, continued to be on.

According to FOGDA representative Dr C Sundaresan, more than 15,000 government doctors are on strike. Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association (TNGDA) state secretary N Ravishankar, however, claimed TNGDA is the major association representing about 16,250 of the total of 18,000 government doctors.

“We are not participating in the strike. We have decidedto go on strike on October 30 and 31,” Dr Ravishankar said. Implementation of a GO that envisages time bound promotions, apart from ensuring appropriate patient doctor ratio in hospitals by amending another GO are among the demands. Bringing back the 50 per cent quota for government doctors in post graduate and super specialty streams is another demand. Filling up posts and carrying out transfers through a transparent counselling process is the other long time representation of government doctors. “Over a period of time, the difference between Central and state doctors in a key head like basic pay itself is about Rs 40,000 for graduate doctors and Rs 80,000 for specialists,” Dr Sundaresan said.      

The Secretary, Doctors Association for Social Equality, Dr Shanti Ravindranath, alleged wide disparity in pay structure between the Central government and Tamil Nadu government doctors.

“What the Central government doctors receive in their 13th year of service (Rs 1,23,100) is received by Tamil Nadu government doctors in their 21st year,” Dr Shanti claimed.

Implementation of the Government Order (GO 354-Payband 4) will address the issue, Dr Shanti, who was formerly with a leading Central government health care facility, said.

A senior government health official said services were hit “only to an extent” in districts, including Tiruchy in respect of primary health care. More than 450 doctors from Salem GH, taluk hospitals and PHCs took part in the protest.

Doctors however attended to emergency cases and in the fever ward. However, doctors did not resort to any protest in Coimbatore.   At major hospitals and attached medical colleges, thesituation was “managed” with the support of non-service PG students and house surgeons, he added. Dr Sundaresan said the talks could not fructify “since the government did not come up with any offer.” 

He said the state pointed to monsoon and fever cases and Deepavali, and asked to call off the strike. The official said “the government is keen to protectthe interests of doctors,”adding that aspects likefever cases were flagged during the talks.