AP Junior doctors boycott emergency services, ICUs after 8 days of strike

Visakhapatnam: The junior doctors' strike across government medical colleges and hospitals in Andhra Pradesh entered its eighth day on Monday, with no resolution reached between the state government and the doctors. The protesting doctors have now boycotted emergency services, intensive care units and operation theatres in addition to non-emergency duties.

The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) is pressing for three key demands: a 30 per cent hike in stipends due since January 2026, the rollback of the proposal to increase the retirement age of senior doctors from 62 to 65 years, and the recruitment of MSc and PhD candidates as assistant professors strictly in accordance with National Medical Commission (NMC) norms.

Andhra Medical College Principal and Additional Director of Medical Education Dr Sandhya Devi said on Monday that adequate arrangements had been made to ensure uninterrupted patient care after postgraduate doctors intensified their ongoing strike by withdrawing from emergency services.

"The postgraduates are going on strike. Till now, they had provided services for the emergencies, and from today, they called off from the emergencies also. So, we made adequate arrangements, especially in the outpatient wards. All the faculty members are adjusted to attend to the outpatients and also the emergencies," Dr Sandhya Devi told ANI. 

She added that arrangements had also been made to manage critical services, including emergency care.

Also Read:Andhra Pradesh junior doctors intensify strike over pending stipend revision

Anaesthesia second-year postgraduate Dr Kasturi said, "There are three basic demands of our strike. First, to increase the stipend hike to 30 per cent. Second, to recruit MSc and PhD graduates as per NMC norms only. Third, as proposed, the retirement age has been increased from 62 to 65; we want it to revert to normal."

She said the doctors had been sending official letters to the authorities since January and had now decided to withdraw from both non-emergency and emergency duties.

Second-year postgraduate Dr Akash said the doctors had been on strike for eight days and alleged that repeated communications regarding the stipend hike had not received a response.

"According to the G.O., every two years, our stipend has to increase by a certain percentage. In January 2024, we were sending all the mails and letters officially to the government," he said, reports ANI.

Meanwhile, Deputy Superintendent of King George Hospital Dr Chandrasekhar Naidu said services were continuing without interruption. He added that faculty and 55 additional personnel are currently working in rounds to maintain casualty and labour room operations.   

The hospital administration has deployed faculty members and additional personnel to maintain services amid the protest.

"By increasing the retirement age to 65, slots for new assistant professors are being blocked. Additionally, giving assistant professor roles to MSc and PhD holders while medical postgraduates remain jobless is not acceptable," Dr. V. Bhandar Naidu, a super-speciality PG, remarked, reports PTI. 

According to a PTI report, Dr. Ranjith Dahvale, AMC APJUDA Vice President, said that despite multiple meetings with state health officials in Amaravati, APJUDA representatives claim that no meaningful negotiation has taken place. "We have met the government three times, but only meetings have happened; no negotiations. We don't belong here; we belong in our hospitals doing our work. We hope for a meaningful conversation with the CM and Health Minister". 

A state panel of junior doctors is scheduled to meet the State Finance Secretary later today, with the association stating that the boycott of emergency services will continue until a favourable outcome is reached.

Also Read:AP Junior doctors launch strike over stipend revision, doctors' body extends support