Against Withdrawal of GR addressing their issues: 10,000 govt doctors in Gujarat to go on indefinite strike from Dec 13

Dr Hitendra Desai, affiliated to Gujarat Medical Teachers’ Association said, “If our demands are still not met after the first two days, we will withdraw from emergency as well as Covid-19 duties.”

A government resolution was issued dated May 16 this year by the state government’s health department, under former chief minister Vijay Rupani’s leadership, addressing demands dating back to as long ago as 2012, pertaining to pension benefits, direct recruitment for ad-hoc appointments, payment of non-practising allowance and salary increments.

However, according to Dr Desai, the GR was not implemented and on November 22, the health department issued a second GR, withdrawing the earlier May GR.
“We made representations and on December 4 we took out a rally in six municipal corporation cities of Gujarat demanding that the May GR be brought back… On December 6, we also submitted a memorandum to the health department, including to the state health minister, but we have not received any response. If the GR is implemented, it will solve a lot of issues within the departments. There are senior doctors who have not been promoted for nearly two decades and are continuing in the same position. The government continues to make contractual hires, which must be stopped,” said Dr Desai.