Health Minister P.K. Sreemathy has termed the strike by doctors in Health Service, under the banner of Kerala Government Medical Officers' Association (KGMOA), “inopportune and unnecessary”.
The doctors, who have been on a non-cooperation strike since February 27, alleging government apathy towards resolving their pay revision anomalies, had stayed away from the hospitals on Friday, taking mass leave.
The KGMOA had subsequently announced that the doctors would hold another token strike on April 26. It has threatened to go on an indefinite strike from June 10, if the government did not solve their problems. In a statement here, Ms. Sreemathy said that in the pay revision commission's report, there was substantial increase in the basic pay scales of doctors.
There were certain deficiencies and lack of clarity regarding allowances and other payments. Some changes are required in the pay scales of specialist doctors also.
The government was committed to resolving these issues.
However, the KGMOA should realise that the government would not be able to take such decisions in the midst of elections, Ms. Sreemathy said.
She added that the government would look into the doctors' grievances, giving them utmost importance, after the elections.
The Minister said that the ongoing strike would only serve to destroy the public health activities and the disease control and prevention programmes and hamper development activities in the sector.
Several time-bound health schemes which had to be completed before this financial year would also be affected.
Ms. Sreemathy appealed to the KGMOA to withdraw their strike in the interests of public welfare.
Source : The Hindu.
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