Rain of strikes, first by government doctors in Karnataka
Office-bearers of the Karnataka State Government Medical Officers Association have called for an indefinite statewide protest from Friday to press for their demands.
Government hospital services in the state are likely to be crippled as a result.
Chief minister Jagadish Shettar had, during a meeting on December 20, assured the association members that a solution would be found for their demands. A cabinet subcommittee was also formed to discuss the issue, which was to give its decision on January 15.
However, when no logical end was reached, the doctors decided to protest until their demands are met.
One of the major demands of the association was to transfer the seven hospitals attached to medical colleges under the medical education department to the department of health and family welfare.
These colleges were under the health and family welfare department till 2006. They were taken on contract by the medical education department. “But they have refused to give our colleges back and thereby, many of the medicos working there are deprived of promotions. I am going on hunger strike till the matter is resolved,” HN Ravindra, president, KSGMO, said.
The cabinet subcommittee headed by home minister R Ashoka to resolve the matter consisted of law minister S Suresh Kumar, medical education minister SA Ramadas and health minister Aravind Limbavali. But Ramadas was allegedly absent in the first and the last meetings.
“He (Ramadas) has threatened that he will not give the hospitals back to us. I openly challenge him to come and discuss the matter with me instead of giving cowardly media statements,” Ravindra said.
Victoria, Vani Vilas, Bowring and Lady Curzon are some of the hospitals which are likely to be affected.
Meanwhile, the state government has ordered the civil administration authorities to take stringent action, under the National Security Act, against those who will disrupt medical services in the state.