THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, A section of government doctors in Kerala announced a march to the DME office on Monday, alleging attempts by the authorities to quell their ongoing agitation indefinitely.
The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association, in a statement, said it has decided to intensify its strike, alleging continued apathy on the part of the state government in resolving issues related to conditions of service and anomalies in salaries of faculty members in the medical college.
In the statement issued on Friday, KGMCTA state president Dr Roznara Begum said that a march will be organized to the office of the Director of Medical Education on Monday, in protest against the alleged attempts to suppress the agitation instead of initiating steps for settlement.
The association claimed that although it was fully aware of the complaints of medical college professors, the DME was putting pressure on school principals, department heads and doctors as part of efforts to curb the strike, instead of taking the initiative in resolving the problems.
She added that, as part of the intense protest, the doctors of the College of Medicine decided to abandon their additional administrative responsibilities other than teaching and patient care, and to submit mass resignations from these positions.
A list of additional posts to be let go, including hostel wardens, nodal officers and academic coordinators, will be submitted to the DME on Monday, the statement said.
The ongoing hunger strike has entered its 33rd day, while the boycott of outpatient services and academic activities has entered its 12th day, KGMCTA said.
The boycott of non-emergency surgeries continued for eight days, she said, adding that protest meetings were held in all government medical colleges in the state on Friday as part of the agitation.
The association claimed that the authorities backed away from the discussions that were announced earlier to be held under the leadership of the Minister of Finance to resolve the issue.
She added that despite receiving legal advice on February 13, the finance department has not taken a final decision yet.
While the government acknowledged that the demands raised by medical college doctors were fair, it insisted that it was unable to address them, a position the union said it could not accept, KGMCTA office bearers said.
The association said that the ongoing strike has greatly affected surgical services, intellectual property, surgical operations and academic activities in medical colleges, adding that patients and students are facing great difficulties.
She added that in the absence of concrete steps by the government, the organization has no choice but to strengthen the incitement.
KGMCTA is an influential service organization representing doctors in government medical colleges in the state.
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