Tamil Nadu doctors temporarily withdraw strike after assurance from govt

Following the withdrawal of the strike Friday, Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijaya Basker said the government would consider some of the demands put forth.

Tamil Nadu doctors began an indefinite hunger strike on October 25. (Express Photo)

Close to 17,000 doctors in Tamil Nadu resumed work Friday, a week after they began an indefinite hunger strike for fulfillment of various long-pending demands from the government. The development comes a day after Chief Minister Edapaddi K Palaniswami appealed to the doctors to withdraw their strike and also warned they would lose their jobs if they did not return to work.

The doctors, affiliated to the Federation of Government Doctors’ Association (FOGDA), had sought a charter of demands including time-bound appraisals and promotions, an appropriate patient-doctor ratio in hospitals, 50 per cent reservation for government doctors in PG specialty and super specialty courses and a transparent counselling process during the hiring process.

“Based on requests by the Chief Minister and Health Minister, we are withdrawing the strike temporarily,” Convenor of FOGDA Lakshmi Narasimhan told reporters.

“Service to people has always been our priority. Over the last week, doctors were attending to emergency cases, but since even the normal cases are turning out to be serious, we are withdrawing the strike,” he added.

Following the withdrawal of the strike Friday, Tamil Nadu Health Minister C Vijaya Basker said the government would consider some of the demands put forth. He said the government had withdrawn the break-in service order — according to the order, the protesting doctors were considered on a break from service and their position were declared vacant.

DMK chief M K Stalin met the protesting doctors on Monday. (Twitter/@mkstalin)

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Palaniswami had said, “The organisation which is carrying out protest is not a recognised one, they are carrying out the strike to defame the government.

“We bear all the expenses and make them a doctor with the hope that they will join a government hospital and serve the poor and needy people. If they do not understand this and refuse to serve the people, the government will take appropriate action against them,” he added.

(With inputs from PTI)

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