The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) have decided to boycott their duties after they received no response from the state government on their demands. They have been alleging that the plight of post-graduate doctors and interns are being neglected. On August 7, the association gave a representation to the Director of Medical Education (DME) in Vijayawada and other authorities concerned, listing out their demands.
Speaking to TNM, Dr N Deep Chand, the President of the state unit of JUDA said, “Three days after we submitted our representation, we marked our protest by wearing black badges to work. The DME promised to look into our concerns and said that it would be sorted. We have not heard from the DME nor have we heard from the government. Hence, we have decided to boycott elective duties. Both out-patient and ward duties have been boycotted by junior doctors across the state.”
“We have not boycotted COVID-19 duties and emergency duties. If our demands fall on deaf ears and if we don’t get a response from the authorities, then we will be forced to completely boycott all duties,” he added.
According to Deep Chand, Andhra Pradesh has around 8,500 junior doctors. If they decide to boycott emergency and COVID-19 duties, then it will have a substantial effect on the healthcare system during a health crisis. The state is already facing a shortage of doctors, nursing staff and experts and feels that manpower shortage is a real crisis.
The following points have been raised by the association:
1) Man power – The association says that there is an acute shortage of manpower in hospitals. Due to COVID-19 duties, many doctors are turning positive due to which there is a shortage of manpower in the state.
2) Protection for doctors – This has been a long-standing demand of the junior doctors. There have been several instances where agitated attendants of patients have attacked doctors on duty.
3) Health insurance of Rs 1 crore for all doctors.
4) Faulty N95 and Personal Protection Equipment (PPE) kits are being provided which have to be replaced with proper ones.
5) A hike in the stipend, incentives and regularisation of stipend.
6) Doctors working in COVID-19 wards are turning positive. They are risking their lives during this pandemic. Why hasn’t the government taken up measures to help the families of doctors?
The APJUDA, in its representation, said that they are the least paid, compared to all neighbouring states like Karnataka and Maharashtra, and that they have not been paid their stipend since January 2020. They have also demanded at least a 45% hike, on par with their peers in the neighbouring states.
The doctors, who have lost their lives fighting COVID-19 are yet to receive their insurance or the ex-gratia amount. The junior doctors are demanding the immediate release of the amount to the bereaved families as well as Rs 1 crore insurance cover for all health workers.
Alleging that they are not given additional incentives despite fighting COVID-19, healthcare workers also pointed out that they are getting ‘absolutely’ poor quality PPE kits and N95 masks. The junior doctors said that they have given multiple representations in the last six months. However, though they are getting assurances, nothing has materialised on the ground.
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