CHENNAI: Around 6,000 members of the Service Doctors' and Post Graduate Doctors' Association of
Tamil Nadu will
strike work from Friday demanding
pay parity with their counterparts in central government service.
“We have been demanding pay parity since 1988. Ten years ago, the government assured us it will be done. It is yet to be implemented. We have no option but to boycott work,'' said Dr A Ramalingam of the association.
He said, “The central government follows a dynamic assured career progression pattern where doctors are promoted in the 4th, 9th and 13th year. "
“We get their fourth-year salary in our 15th year and their 13th year salary in our 20th year. We work hard to keep Tamil Nadu's health indices high, but we don’t reap benefits," he said.
One of the three doctors who had been on fast on Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital premises since Monday demanding pay parity was admitted to hospital on Thursday after his health condition deteriorated.
“Dr R Karthikeyan, an assistant surgeon in Tiruvannamalai Government Hospital, has declined to have food but is allowing us to treat him,'' said a duty doctor.
The two others -- Dr C Saminathan from Virudhachalam Government Hospital and Dr Perumal Pillai S, who is an assistant professor at Institute of Child Health -- continued the fast.
The association has sought the support of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, a larger body with 19,000 members.
Dr R Karthikeyan, who was on fast, is being taken to hospital after his health condition deteriorated.