AP Junior Doctors put strike on hold for one week over stipend revision

Vijayawada: Following written assurances and an invitation for talks from the Director of Medical Education (DME) on stipend revision, the Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) on Monday announced a one-week deferment of its proposed strike.

The association said the decision was taken in response to the DME’s request and to provide an opportunity for constructive dialogue with senior health officials. However, it clarified that the temporary postponement should not be interpreted as a withdrawal of its demand for a fair revision of stipends.

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In a statement, APJUDA president Dr U Eswar Shankar and general secretaries Dr Balagam Dinakar Sai Srinivas, Dr M Ravi Theja Naik, and Dr Sk Lukhman Ali said the association remains committed to protecting the interests of junior doctors while maintaining a dialogue with the authorities.

“As a responsible body committed to safeguarding the interests of junior doctors while maintaining constructive dialogue, APJUDA has decided to temporarily postpone the strike for one week following assurances from the DME,” the leadership stated. “However, under no circumstances should this deferment be viewed as a dilution of our resolve,” reports TNIE.

The junior doctors’ body said it would closely monitor the progress of discussions with health authorities during the period and decide on its future course of action based on the outcome of the deliberations.

The association added that any further decisions would be communicated through official statements. It also thanked junior doctors across government medical colleges in the state for their support and urged members to remain alert and rely only on authorised communication channels.

Medical Dialogues had previously reported that the Telangana Junior Doctors' Association (JUDA) has expressed concerns over the continued delay in the payment of pending arrears to junior doctors across the state for the January–June 2025 period. The association stated that despite all bills being properly filed, verified, and cleared at the departmental stage after completion of mandatory procedures, the payments are still awaiting clearance at the government level, resulting in the non-release of stipends and arrears.

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