Protests over Pay Revision, Arrears Due Since 2016: Kerala Doctors Association releases action plan

However, the association has ensured that Emergency services, labor room, casualty, emergency surgeries, ward duty, and COVID treatment will be provided without interruption. In a recent Press release, KGMCTA stated that it is organizing protests against the non-payment of salary arrears, including the Medical College Doctors' Allowance Reform (NPA, PCA), and the non-resolution of irregularities, including entry cadre and career advancement promotions.

Medical dialogues have been reporting the steps taken by the association. KGMCTA decided to hold a protest on March 3 against the Kerala government for betraying the medical college doctors in the state by making " hollow promises ". Previously Medical Dialogues reported that KGMCTA had called for the strike alleging that the government had not given any assurance on providing arrears while implementing pay revision. KGMCTA elaborated that the salary revision for doctors in government medical colleges in 2016 has been extended to 2020. No salary arrears including allowances due during this period were received.

Moreover, " in a discussion with various organizations chaired by the Hon'ble Minister of Health, the Hon'ble Secretary of Health himself stated that the medical college doctors are entitled to the arrears, including the revision of the allowance from July 1, 2017," stated the release. As per the KGMCTA release, "the organization later discussed the matter with the Finance Minister. But when the order came, the arrears of allowance were allowed only from July 1, 2019. The arrears of allowance from July 1, 2017 to June 30, 2019 are lost. We have to overcome it. Although the government agreed to address the pay gap in the entry cadre and reduce the time limit for career advancement promotions at the minute meeting, no such order has been issued. That too should come down soon."

The State president Dr. Bionoy contacted the authorities several times to get all this but to no avail. Therefore, the medical college doctors under the leadership of KGMCTA are conducting the following protests:

1) 3/3/2021, KGMCTA will celebrate Betrayal Day at the state level. On that day, protests and dharnas will be held in front of the principal's office in all medical colleges and in front of the DME office in Thiruvananthapuram.

2) From 3/3/2021, medical college doctors will go on strike indefinitely. During this period, VIP duty, pay ward duty, and non-COVID, non-emergency meetings will be boycotted. Additional services will be boycotted as well. All work unrelated to patients or teaching will be boycotted.

3) If no decision is taken yet, all the medical college doctors in Kerala will light candles in front of the Secretariat on 10/3/2021 at 6.30 pm. At 8 pm on the same day, the medical college doctors will hold a press conference. Protests will follow all COVID protocols.

4) If there is no decision again, there will be a 24-hour boycott of OP, elective surgery, and teaching on March 17th. Emergency services, labor room, casualty, emergency surgeries, ward duty, and COVID treatment will be provided without interruption. All COVID protocols will be followed.

The KGMCTA State Committee demanded that the demands of the medical college teachers be accepted immediately and that the medical college doctors not be pushed into unnecessary strife. The association further added, "While all other employees in the state were given pay rises without delay, the medical college doctors who neglected even their own lives and tried to shore up the state from the Kovid tragedy were not even given the benefits they deserved."