Over 6,000 junior doctors from 26 medical colleges across Telangana have initiated an indefinite strike, calling for the timely disbursement of stipends, improved infrastructure, and enhanced security measures.
Organized by the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (T-JUDA), the strike has significantly disrupted medical services, affecting outpatient services, elective surgeries, and ward duties, though emergency services continue uninterrupted.
The junior doctors' demands are extensive. They include establishing a green channel for the timely release of stipends and honorariums for Super Specialty Senior Residents and deploying hospital police personnel to ensure security. Additionally, the doctors are pressing for the construction of new hostels, the recruitment of more faculty members, and the erection of a new building for Osmania General Hospital. A critical part of their demands is a 15% reservation in the NEET UG prospectus for Telangana and Andhra Pradesh students.
The strike has severely impacted medical services in the state, leading to significant inconvenience for patients who rely on these services. T-JUDA's firm stance on continuing the strike until their demands are met has prompted the state health department to appeal for a resolution. However, the junior doctors remain resolute in their agitation, emphasizing the critical nature of their demands for improving the healthcare system and their working conditions.
The state government closely monitors the situation, with negotiations underway to resolve it. The health department's efforts to persuade the junior doctors to call off the strike have yet to yield results, and the impasse continues to affect thousands of patients daily.
The junior doctors' strike highlights ongoing issues within the state's healthcare infrastructure and the pressing need for reforms. As negotiations proceed, stakeholders hope for a swift resolution to restore normalcy in the state's medical services and address the genuine concerns raised by the junior doctors.