Government doctors stage protest

The government doctors serving in the health and family welfare department staged a protest against the move to transfer seven district hospitals to medical education department, here on Monday.

The doctors had limited their services only to emergency cases in most district hospitals across the State. However, Bangalore remained unaffected by the protest.

Speaking to Deccan Herald, Dr H N Ravindra, President of Karnataka Government Medical Officers’ Association said despite repeated protests against the move to retain district hospitals under the health department, there has been no decision taken as yet.

“First it was the 11 district hospitals and now another seven will be taken over by the medical education department.

This way, the doctors already serving in these hospitals will be sidelined with no scope for any promotions,” he added. With Cabinet decision to open new medical colleges in Madikeri, Chamarajanagar, Tumkur, Chitradurga, Haveri, Gadag and Koppal recently, it will be quite obvious that the existing district hospitals will be taken over after setting up the medical colleges, Dr Ravindra added.

Health Minister Aravinda Limbavali said: “Health department will not hand over any hospitals to another department, the doctors need not worry about it. Gulbarga and Davangere hospitals have been taken back. I firmly assert that under no circumstance we will let go of the hospitals. I request the doctors to get back to work and call off the strike.”