Thiruvananthapuram: Medical college doctors across the state have announced an indefinite strike starting tomorrow, stepping up their protest over a range of long-pending demands. From January 13, doctors will suspend teaching activities, and from the following week, they plan to stop all non-emergency medical services, while intensifying their non-cooperation movement.
State-level office-bearers made it clear that essential and life-saving services will remain outside the scope of the protest. Emergency departments, labour rooms, intensive care units (ICUs), inpatient services, emergency treatments and surgeries, as well as post-mortem examinations, will continue without disruption.
The doctors have been agitating since July, pressing for the rectification of anomalies in the salary revision order, payment of pending salary and dearness allowance arrears, an end to temporary and large-scale transfers, and the creation of new posts to address staff shortages.
While routine and non-urgent services at medical colleges are likely to be affected, doctors have reiterated their commitment to patient safety, assuring uninterrupted care for all emergency and critical cases.
