Telangana: JUDA notice for strike, seeks better incentives

HYDERABAD: Telangana Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) has given a strike notice state health authorities, demanding clearance for a 15 per cent pay hike, incentives, and a circular for treatment of healthcare workers and their family members at the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences (NIMS). The JUDA has given two weeks’ time to the government to meet their demands which if not met will result in a boycott of duties.
“We the JUDA members hereby bring to your kind notice that stipends 15 percent hike for post graduates and interns is due from January 2020. The file bearing No. 5665/2018 is due for final approval of the chief minister. Also 15 percent hike for senior residents is pending for finance approval. We regularly pursued for approval of hike with officials regularly since last 6 months. The 10 percent incentive that was announced was healthcare workers has not been implemented till date,” read the JUDA notice.
The other grievance, as cited by the association, was that healthcare workers and their family members were unable to find a bed for treatment. “NIMS is always occupied with limited beds and we urge you to increase the bed capacity and issue a circular for free treatment for healthcare workers and their family members,” read the association’s letter to director of medical education, Dr K Ramesh Reddy.
The letter also demands insurance be provided to medical students up to post-graduate, in accordance to GO-74. “The ex-gratia of 50 lakh for doctors and 25 lakh for nurses and supporting staff that was announced has not been implemented so far. We will boycott service if the demands are not met by May 25, 2021,” the letter said.