Blame game has started between the junior doctors, who have resorted to strike and boycotting of duties including emergency services, and the government over issues including compulsory rural service.
Though the state held talks late on Tuesday night with the doctors and some demands were accepted, the strike is going to continue as the junior doctors are not entirely satisfied. The demands that have been accepted are: i) Maternity leave to be allowed within the 18-month period subject to completion of 12 months; ii) If a candidate gets PG selection, the balance of compulsory one-year service can be completed after he/she finishes the PG course; iii) Request of spouse privilege will be considered; iv) Doctors will be posted to do his/her own specialty; v) In medico-legal cases the regular duty medical officer will sign; vi) Free accommodation will be provided.
Director of medical education, Vishnu Prasad said, “There’s no move on part of the government to invoke Esma as yet. The government spends lakhs of rupees on subsidised medical education for each medico, in return they should do some service to society, but they are trying to avoid rural service.” However, PG doctors claim that they aren’t averse to rural service post MBBS but they don’t want it to be a mandatory contract service after PG by signing a bond of Rs 15 lakh. Dr B. Vamshi, president of junior doctors’ association, OGH, said, “Contrary to the claims of the government, they spend around Rs 1.6 lakh per MBBS candidate. We’re also not averse to rural service but would prefer it to be for one year after MBBS and not two years, after PG.”