1 week ago
Andhra Junior Doctors End Protest as Government Reviews Demands
Junior doctors in Andhra Pradesh stopped protesting and returned to their hospital duties.
They want higher stipends, or payments they receive while training.
They also objected to a possible increase in the retirement age for doctors.
The health minister said the government has not made a final decision about that age increase.
A committee will meet the doctors soon to discuss their requests.
The government will compare benefits in Andhra Pradesh with those in several other states.
It says it must consider its limited money and resources.
The government also agreed to reconsider rules involving MSc and PhD candidates in non-clinical departments.
Opposition leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government should respond to the doctors and pointed to earlier stipend increases.
Andhra Pradesh junior doctors ended their protest and began returning to duty, Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav said.
The doctors mainly sought a stipend increase and opposed a proposed rise in the retirement age.
A committee led by Health Secretary G Veerapandian will meet Junior Doctors Association representatives within a day or two.
The government said it would compare stipends and benefits in other states before deciding, citing financial constraints.
YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy criticized the government and cited earlier stipend increases during his party’s administration.
- Who
- Andhra Pradesh junior doctors, the Junior Doctors Association, the state government, Health Minister Y Satya Kumar Yadav, and YSRCP leader YS Jagan Mohan Reddy.
- What
- Junior doctors ended their protest, while the government agreed to examine demands concerning stipends, retirement age, and non-clinical appointments.
- Where
- Andhra Pradesh, including government hospitals and the state Secretariat.
- When
- The announcement was made on August 25; a government committee was expected to meet doctors within a day or two.
- Why
- The doctors sought higher stipends and opposed the proposed retirement-age increase; the government cited doctor shortages and financial constraints while reviewing the issues.
State Government
YSRCP Opposition
Response to the protest
State Government
The government said it was positive toward the doctors’ demands, would hold discussions, and would seek a solution within its financial and resource limits.
YSRCP Opposition
YS Jagan Mohan Reddy questioned why the government was not responding to the doctors’ demands.
Stipend revision
State Government
The government said it would examine stipends and benefits in other states before taking an appropriate decision, while a special committee reviews the issue.
YSRCP Opposition
Jagan said a stipend revision due from January 1 under the rules had been stopped and cited increases made during the previous YSRCP administration.
Retirement age and appointments
State Government
The government said the retirement-age increase had only been considered because of doctor shortages and would be reconsidered; it also said MSc and PhD appointment rules would be reviewed.
YSRCP Opposition
The doctors opposed the proposed retirement-age increase and raised objections to appointing MSc and PhD candidates in non-clinical departments.
Key facts
- Protest status
- Junior doctors called off their protest and began returning to duty.
- Main demand
- An increase in the stipend paid to junior doctors.
- Retirement age
- The minister said no final decision had been made and that the issue would be reconsidered.
- Review committee
- A committee headed by Health Secretary G Veerapandian will meet Junior Doctors Association representatives.
- Doctors affected
- About 9,500 junior doctors serve in government hospitals across Andhra Pradesh.
- Government comparison
- Officials compared junior-doctor stipends and benefits in Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Kerala, and Telangana with Andhra Pradesh’s policy.
- Opposition claim
- YS Jagan Mohan Reddy said stipends rose 42.4 percent during the YSRCP government from 2019 to 2024, and 77 percent overall for certain super-speciality trainees.
Quotes
Y Satya Kumar Yadav
Andhra Pradesh Health and Medical Minister
“Keeping in view the state’s financial constraints, an appropriate decision would be taken after examining the stipend and other benefits being provided to junior doctors in other states.”
theprint.in
“Keeping the JUDA’s demand in mind, the matter of increasing the retirement age will be reconsidered.”
theprint.in
Sources
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