K'taka requests striking govt doctors to withdraw stir; agrees to fulfill demands

Bengaluru: The Karnataka government on Tuesday requested the government doctors to withdraw their agitation over salary hike as it has conceded to their demand, despite the grim economic conditions.

However, the Karnataka Government Medical Officers Association (KGMOA) said they would take a call on withdrawing their agitation after consulting their district units and holding a meeting with the government once again on Friday. Until then, as per their plan, they will boycott meetings and not share COVID19 data, KGMOA said.

With medical officers refusing to share COVID-19 reports with the government, there was under-reporting of cases in some districts on Tuesday, like- Bagalkote reporting zero cases, Udupi 1 and lesser than usual in others, official sources said. Though the tests and treatment to those infected are going on, the data was not being shared, they said, adding that “we need to see what happens tomorrow.”

Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar, terming the talks with KGMOA office-bearers as “fruitful”, said the government has decided to give in to the demand “to uplift the hard-working doctors.”

“The doctors have been working hard day in and out.. in the light of this, the Chief Minister has given the nod to all the proposals by the Health Department in the past six months and this too will be fulfilled,” he said.

The demand will be addressed and the Finance department has been briefed in this regard, Sudhakar was quoted as saying by his office in a release.

“The revision in salaries will be made based on six-year, 13-year, and 20-year promotions for the doctors and details on the same will be obtained from the medical officers,” he said, adding that even though this was a burden on the government, it would be addressed on a priority basis.

Along with Sudhakar, Deputy Chief Minister C N Ashwath Narayan and Health Minister B Sriramulu were part of the meeting that was attended by senior health department officials. Over 4,900 government doctors working in various health facilities run by the Health and Family Welfare Department are on strike, demanding pay parity with their counterparts in the Medical Education Department or pay revision as per the Central Government Health Scheme (CGHS) scale.

They had decided not to share COVID data online or offline, and to boycott the meetings. KGMOA President Dr Srinivas G A Tuesday said the government had stated it would fulfil their demands. “We will discuss with office bearers of all our district units tomorrow, and on Friday will hold a meeting with Ministers once again and announce our decision.” He said their agitation would continue till Friday.