KGMOA to continue stir; boycott paywards from Nov 20

Kochi, Nov 18 (UNI) The Kerala Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) today said it will continue with its over month-long 'non-cooperation' stir for increased salaries and start boycotting paywards from November 20.

Addressing a press conference here this evening after a day-long meeting of the KGMOA's state-level conference, Association president P O Sunny said the 'specialty administrative cadre' announced by the government was not acceptable to the association as it did not meet their demands.

Stating that the doctors were not ''scared'' by the government move to suspend them, he said 30 doctors had been suspended so far.

The KGMOA would observe a 'solidarity week' from November 21 to 27 in support of the suspended doctors.

Denying that ordinary patients were being put to inconvenience due to the stir, Dr Sunny said that they were boycotting only special duties.

The doctors would begin to boycott paywards from November 20 and also not accept fresh applications for issuing certificates to handicapped persons.

While continuing with their decision not to report for duty at Sabarimala during the ongoing pilgrimage season, he said the association will deploy doctors for duty only if the government asked it directly.

However, by its decision to suspend 30 doctors, the government had itself reduced the number of doctors, who could be made available for duty. The government should realise the pathetic conditions in which the doctors work at Sabarimala, he said.

Government doctors were so fed up with their working conditions that 96 senior doctors and 480 junior doctors had written to the KGMOA stating that they were willing to opt for VRS.

More than 1600 doctors, serving in district and taluk hospitals and primary health centres, have been on a work-to-rule all over Kerala by boycotting all kinds of special duties for over a month.

UNI