As many as hundred and ninety two government medical officers and programme officers in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts have tendered resignation on Monday in protest against the government’s failure to fulfil their demands.
In Dakshina Kannada, 88 doctors have tendered resignation. The resignation of the doctors did not affect the patients in District Wenlock and Lady Goschen Hospitals. The patients were attended by duty doctors and specialists in both the hospitals.
Speaking to Deccan Herald, Karnataka Government Medical Officers Association DK district unit President and district Surveillance Officer Dr Rajesh said “doctors have decided to work for a period of one month. We do not want to inconvenience the public.”
“If the government fails to fulfill our demand after 30 days, we will remain absent to the work. The medical officers at Primary Health Centres and Community Health Centres performed their duties as usual and the patients were not affected,” he said.
A delegation of 35 government doctors from Dakshina Kannada, headed by Dr Rajesh met Directorate of Health and Family Welfare in Bangalore on Monday and submitted the resignations.
The demands of the doctors are district hospitals should come under the purview of the Department of Health and Family Welfare, failing which super-specialists and specialists will be confined to taluk hospitals or health centres all their life with no scope of working in district hospitals.
“The government should rectify pay disparity between the government doctors working under the Department of Health and Family Welfare and doctors appointed in hospitals attached to medical colleges. Fearing transfer and work pressure, many doctors are not showing interest in joining service under the health department,” he said.
Udupi
Though a few PHCs and taluk hospitals faced inconvience with doctors leaving for Bangalore to tender resignation, the situation in district hospital was different in Udupi. Out of 20 doctors, three were on leave.
The remaining 17 doctors had attended the duty. Seven doctors from district hospital who had tendered resignation had sought one-day leave from District Surgeon Anand Nayak.
As the leave was not sanctioned, they were left with no option but to work. Following the call to tender resignation given by Karnataka Government Medical Officers Association, 104 doctors had tendered resignation in Udupi.
Karnataka Government Medical Officers Association Udupi unit President Dr Nikin Shetty said “the association has 112 members. Majority of the doctors had tendered their resignation and are participating in the protest in Bangalore.
DHO and District Surgeon are yet to tender their resignation. Out of 104 doctors, 74 doctors are in Bangalore participating in the protest. All of us will return to duty on Tuesday.”
“By availing one day leave, a few doctors have joined their counterparts in Bangalore. Even after resignation, the doctors will work for one month and ensure that no inconvenience is met. If the doctors take a decision to abstain from work, then it will affect the functioning of the hospitals,” said a senior doctor.
DHO Dr Ramachandra Bairy said that there was no inconveniences in the government hospitals.
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