Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday asked the junior doctors to call off their strike keeping in view the current COVID-19 situation in the state.
According to an official statement, the Chief Minister made it clear that the government had never discriminated against junior doctors and their problems were all solved in the past. He also said that the government is ready to solve their just demands.
It was in the Chief Minister's review meeting with medical and health officials on the COVID situation, vaccination programme and other issues that the officials brought to his notice the junior doctors' strike.
Responding to the issues raised by the junior doctors, Rao said," If the junior doctors' demands are justified, the government has no objection to solve them. They can bring those demands to the government and get them solved."
"But it is not proper to abstain from duties now...Going on strike under the present emergency situation caused by coronavirus no one will appreciate, not even the people," he added.
The Medical and Health officials brought to the notice of the CM that junior doctors are getting a high stipend compared to other states. The CM enquired about the demands made by the junior doctors. The officials briefed the CM about the demands and the CM instructed that they will be solved.
The CM has decided to increase the honorarium paid to the senior residents by 15 per cent and to extend the senior residents' honorarium to the medical students who are engaged in the COVID duties after their three years of medical course.He instructed that better medical facilities should be provided to junior doctors and their family members at the NIMS, as per the statement.
"The CM instructed the officials concerned to take measures so that the ex-gratia amount being extended as per the guidelines should be handed over immediately as per the junior doctors' demand," it added.
According to the Union Health Ministry, Telangana has 40,489 active COVID-19 cases. The total number of recoveries has reached 5,09,663 and fatalities have mounted to 3,125.
( With inputs from ANI )
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