Government medical college doctors in Kerala to go on indefinite strike from February 2

The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA), which had earlier deferred its agitation following discussions with the State government, has announced an indefinite strike beginning next week, including a boycott of teaching and all medical services except emergency care.

From February 2, doctors will begin an indefinite boycott of all outpatient services in medical college hospitals. From February 9, they will stay away indefinitely from all hospital services except essential health-care services, including casualty, labour room, ICU, inpatient care, emergency treatments, emergency surgeries, and postmortem examinations.

From February 11, doctors will also boycott all university examination duties, the KGMCTA said.

In a statement here on Tuesday, the KGMCTA said that during a meeting held on January 12, the Health and Finance Ministers had assured the association that anomalies in the entry-cadre pay revision would be rectified and that the long-pending pay revision arrears due to doctors from 2016 would be considered. However, the subsequent Government Order (GO) issued in this regard proved to be deeply disappointing, the association said.

According to the KGMCTA, the GO dated January 18 provided only a partial allowance to compensate for the pay cut in the entry cadre, without retrospective effect or continuity into the forthcoming pay revision. As such, the order offers no real benefit to entry-cadre doctors. The association also pointed out that the government has remained completely silent on the issue of payment of pay revision arrears.

The KGMCTA noted that the arrears period includes the time when doctors served the State selflessly during the COVID-19 pandemic, often risking their own lives.

While the government ensured full payment of pay revision arrears to other government employees, it has chosen to be unfair to the medical fraternity.

Doctors across the country who worked tirelessly during the pandemic were provided incentives, whereas the Kerala government — which proudly highlighted its COVID management — has denied doctors even their rightful dues, it said.

As part of the agitation, all academic activities will be boycotted indefinitely across government medical colleges from January 22. Outpatient services, along with non-emergency surgeries and procedures, will be boycotted in all medical college hospitals on January 27 as a symbolic protest.