Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Novel protest, dharna held to oppose G.O.118

Unique: CPI (M) activists on a protest against G.O. 118 on the general hospital premises in Anantapur on Wednesday. (Right) BJP activists conducting a signature campaign.

ANANTAPUR: The activists of Communist Party of India (Marxist) staged a novel protest against the issuance of G.O. 118 as part of the process to accord semi-autonomous status to the Government Medical College and the attached general hospital by begging on the premises of the hospital here on Wednesday. The activists of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) conducted a signature campaign against the government move. The CPI (M) activists, led by town secretary V. Rambhupal, corporator Dr. P. Prasoona, A. Manohar and others, collected Rs. 1,363 by begging from passers-by, doctors, hospital staff, patients and attendants.

Later, they have drawn a demand draft for the amount in the name of Minister for Agriculture N. Raghuveera Reddy and posted it to his office in Hyderabad.

In a letter enclosed with the demand draft they requested the minister to accept the amount collected from people and hospital employees as the earnings by the ruling party leaders through contracts and others sources of income were falling short of their appetite.

That was why they had accepted the government move to accord semi-autonomous status to the GMC and hospital as a prelude to phased privatisation. The new arrangement would also help the ruling party leaders to make easy money as all activities including appointments, expenditure, procurement of material like medicines and equipment hiring doctors would be done by a committee headed by them, the CPI (M) leaders stated. Money from the poor would also reach them as user charges would be collected for all health services in the hospital in the years to come.

On the other hand, the activists of BJP collected signatures from the public to mobilise their opinion against the G.O. 118. They pitched a tent in front of the municipal corporation office and collected the signatures throughout the day. They would submit the signatures to the Governor.

Meanwhile, a section of doctors opposing the GO have decided to participate in the struggle to be carried out by all-party committee comprising parties, people’s organisations and doctors and other employees’ associations of the medical college and hospital. The AP Government Doctors’ Association, AP Junior Doctors’ Association and associations of other staff in college and hospital have failed to take a stand on the issue so far. According to sources, the APGDA was said to be a divided house over the issue with one group having more than 12 years’ service was concerned more about losing their seniority and job security. Another group with lesser experience was learnt to be not opposing the GO whole-heartedly hoping that it would help them get good salaries. One more group having assured income sources like private practice, clinics and hospitals was said to be sitting on the fence.

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