Dec 08: On the directive of Kerala High court, the members of Kerala Government Medical Officers’ Association, KGMOA on Friday morning has provisionally called off two months long strike when court has ordered the state government to consider over doctor’s demand. The medical infrastructure in the state had been totally lackluster due to this strike.
A Divisional Bench of Chief Justice H.L. Dattu and Justice K.M. Joseph said while hearing on a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Ganapathy of Kollam for asking to declare the strike illegal, “The court is agree with the doctor’s grievances” and directed the state government to go thoroughly and seriously over the demands of KGMOA and inform to court regarding its progress.
The court has also directed to KGMOA to call off the strike for the shake of general public as the health condition in the state has totally collapsed. The court has also directed the state’s health minister and health secretary to withdraw the suspension of all 83 doctors, who were on the strike.
KGMOA has asked the government to hike the salary, to restructure the payment system according to speciality and administrative cadre system, and to establish reform cadre system of the doctors’ post in which the specialist and super specialist post should be created to provide better treatment to the general public. Besides this, as per grievances, they have asked to withdraw the suspension order of the state government.
The state high court has also directed the state government to provide an interim relief in terms of differences between the revised pay proposal and the current pay scale as it would take some time in implementing it. “The rectified or revised allowances estimating Rs. 25 crore that were declared in November should be converted into special pay”, said the judging bench on Friday.
“The government will consider the court’s directions and do as per requirement”, said Health Minister of Kerala P K Sreemathi who has welcomed the decision of KGMOA for withdrawing the strike. Earlier, she had denied considering the KGMOA’s demands of hiking payment quoting that “It is the matter of Pay commission”.
The doctors were on strike since October 01 as against government decision to not to implement the recommendations of a special committee report regarding doctors’ grievances.
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