Thiruvananthapuram: Medical college doctors, led by Kerala Govt Medical College Teachers Association (KGMCTA), began an indefinite boycott of outpatient (OP) services on Monday.The strike paralysed the functioning of all govt medical colleges in state, with OPs of most departments remaining non-functional. In most medical college hospitals, post-graduate students and house surgeons are attending to patients in the OP.KGMCTA expressed regret for the inconvenience caused to the public due to the strike, which they said was necessitated by govt inaction and breach of trust. Essential health services such as emergency departments, labour rooms, urgent surgeries, ICUs, post-mortem examinations and emergency laboratory services have been excluded from the strike.The strike and non-cooperation has been ongoing, with a relay hunger strike going on for the last 21 days. Senior doctors from various medical colleges are participating in the hunger strike. However, the protests have not borne any results so far.To intensify the protests, senior doctors have now begun an indefinite boycott of OP services and teaching duties.The doctors are demanding immediate payment of withheld salary revisions, revision of an unscientific pension ceiling, creation of posts and appointments based on patient numbers in medical colleges and providing adequate infrastructure. Despite multiple discussions with authorities and ministers from the health and finance departments, no satisfactory outcomes have been achieved so far, prompting the organisation to intensify its protests. Partial relief was provided by addressing the salary shortfall for entry-level cadres, said KGMCTA state president Dr Rosnara Beegam T.The association warned that if its legitimate demands were not accepted and decisions made, it would be compelled to halt non-emergency surgeries and other procedures indefinitely from Feb 19. The organisation said that they plan to withdraw from all examination duties from Feb 26.
