The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Junior doctors resort to `overwork protest'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Jul 01, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Junior doctors resort to `overwork protest'

Special Correspondent

APJUDA leaders repose faith in High Court, tone down rhetoric

HYDERABAD: Health services returned to normal in all Government teaching hospitals on Thursday as the junior doctors resumed their duties and decided to work overtime to draw the attention of the Government and courts.

The doctors worked beyond their duty hours in Osmania and Gandhi hospitals. They decided to conduct evening outpatient clinics in the Government hospitals. Usually, the OP clinics in Government hospitals are open during the morning hours. Junior doctors of Osmania Medical College took pledge not to rest till their demands were redressed.

A day after they had openly threatened to continue the strike defying the High Court directive, the medicos put forth their version before media as to why they resumed duties. Reposing faith in the High Court in getting their grievances redressed, the Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) decided to tone down its aggressive posture.

The APJUDA president, B.R. Suresh Babu, told reporters here on Thursday that the medicos respected the court's direction and returned to work. He clarified that their struggle against the standards in private medical colleges and other issues would continue.

Novel protests

He said the medicos would resort to novel protests by visiting the in-patient wings in hospitals and treating the patients after duty hours. Similarly, medical camps would be conducted in the slum areas. "The medicos will explain to people, the circumstances under which they had resorted to agitation," he said. Protest rallies, dharnas and other forms of protest would be continued after the working hours, he added.

The APJUDA served an ultimatum to the Government about resorting to another round of agitation if it failed to abide by the court direction. "The Government will be responsible for the consequences," he added.

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