Southern States - Andhra Pradesh-Hyderabad   

Government invites striking medicos to talks

By Our Special Correspondent

HYDERABAD Dec.19. The State Government has invited junior doctors to talks with the Health Minister, K. Sivaprasada Rao, on Saturday, even as agitating medicos began relay hunger strike as part of their strike which entered the eighth day today.

However, S. Suresh Kumar, convenor of the Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association's Joint Action Committee, which is spearheading the agitation, said the stir by junior doctors, house surgeons and students from 10 Government hospitals would be intensified if the Government did not change its stand. Medicos have been protesting against privatisation of medical education, setting up of hospital development societies and introduction of self-financing seats in undergraduate and post-graduate courses.

Referring to the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu's defence of the Government's policy to encourage setting up of private medical colleges while comparing the number of seats with the neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra, he said Maharashtra had more number of medical colleges in the Government sector than the private sector, while 29 of the total 84 private medical colleges in the country were in Andhra Pradesh.

The APJUDA also asked the Government to show a committee report, if any, which was supporting the opening of so many colleges in the private sector.

The students of Osmania and Kurnool Medical Colleges have started relay hunger strike while students in other colleges have conducted parallel O.P.s without user charges. The students also staged a "mock drama" in which they criticised the Government's policies.

Meanwhile, the Director of Medical Education, Sashi Prabha, appealed to the public to mobilise opinion against the strike and support the Government stand in the matter. She said the strike by junior doctors was totally unjustified. " It is improper for these young doctors to go on strike without any consideration for the poor and needy patients," she said.

The Government was spending Rs. 2,537.50 lakhs on training MBBS students, Rs. 580.29 lakhs on stipends for house surgeons and Rs. 1,585.62 lakhs for post-graduates.

During the last two and half years, more than Rs. 210 crores had been spent on upgrading teaching hospitals/ medical colleges in the State.

The Progressive Organisation of Women (POW) has extended its support to the striking doctors and urged the Government to resolve the issue by holding talks.

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