Southern States - Andhra Pradesh   

Strike not against Govt.: medicos

By Our Staff Reporter

Vijayawada Dec. 25. The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association on Monday clarified that their strike was not against the State Government but only against the government policy with regard to commercialisation of medical education. They said they would keep politics away while agitating for their just cause.

Making a statement here amidst observations that their agitation was assuming a political colour, the association spokesperson, P.Harikrishna, said that the striking medicos were losing confidence in the government due to its attitude.

On the kind of slogans being raised during the agitation, he noted that the doctors dissented them and stopped them immediately.

The association also stated that their agitation had not been linked to any political party or the Assembly polls but only the atmosphere at the venue was getting a political colour due to the presence of external support and from organisation outside.

He said that the strike was for a right cause for which various political parties had voluntarily supported their agitation. Ensuring that steps would be taken to avoid any political tinge, the association said it would accept support from any quarter. The medicos expressed their resolve that the strike would continue till their demands were met.

Govt. claim disputed

HYDERABAD: The Joint Action Committee of Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors' Association, which is spearheading the strike that entered the 14th day on Thursday, objected to the State government's claim that it had addressed 12 of the 16 issues raised by the committee.

In a statement, S. Suresh Kumar, convener, said the junior doctors had only raised four main issues -- GO 90 and user charges, private medical colleges, payment seats in government medical colleges and regular recruitments.

He claimed that the other issues were agreed upon by the Government two years ago, in November 2001. The statement questioned why the Government was "hesitating" to release the list of teaching faculty in private medical colleges since it was not a "defence secret". The committee suggested some methods of generating funds in hospitals like all bureaucrats, politicians and employees getting treated only in government hospitals so that crores spent on their reimbursement could be diverted to hospitals, and addition of some paying rooms to generate more funds.

The statement said junior doctors continued their relay hunger-strikes in various colleges throughout the State. In Gandhi Hospital they distributed fruits to patients and explained to them their problems. They conducted a signature campaign at Visakhapatnam. Student organisations took out a solidarity rally in Tirupati.

Meanwhile, P.V.R.Bhaskar Rao, chairman, People for Economical and Effective Medicare, demanded that senior members of all government medical colleges and hospitals spell out their stand on the junior doctors' strike and privatisation of government medical institutions.

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