T.N. govt. doctors withdraw indefinite fast midway after RGGGH dean denies permission

Doctors affiliated with the Federation of Government Doctors Association (FOGDA) on Thursday (March 5, 2026) had to withdraw their indefinite fast midway after the dean of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital (RGGGH) formally denied permission for the protest on the campus and the police arrived at the venue.

In a statement, the FOGDA strongly condemned the dean’s act of denying government doctors the right to protest on the hospital campus, where they work, to put forth their demands. Following a consensus among the coordinators, the indefinite fast was suspended, and the next course of action would be decided during their executive committee meeting.

The federation, which comprises the Democratic Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association, Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, and Government All Doctors Association, has been demanding a review of Government Order 354, issued in 2009, relating to pay and promotions, the grant of ₹3,000 as allowance for Primary Health Centre medical officers, standalone postgraduate increments, and the revival of 1,500 posts of doctors, which were reduced during a restructuring exercise. The doctors have also been demanding the creation of new doctor posts in accordance with patient load.

After they launched an indefinite fast on the premises of RGGGH at about 10 a.m., the representatives were called for talks with the Health Secretary. The federation said that the official said the issue would be further taken up with the Finance Department. As no agreement was reached, the doctors decided to continue with their fast. However, the police who arrived at the protest venue did not permit them to do so. Around 4 p.m., the dean formally denied permission for the protest within the campus, the FOGDA said.

In an official communication, the dean said protests inside the medical institution cannot be permitted. Asking the protestors to leave the premises, the authority said that failing to do so, the matter would be informed to the police for further action. The police said that they had asked the doctors to get permission from the respective authority to hold the protest.