HC asks Telangana junior doctors to end stir

The Hyderabad High Court has asked striking junior doctors in Telangana to end their protest and resume duties within 48 hours.

With the junior doctors continuing their stir for over 50 days, the court while passing orders on a petition termed the strike illegal.

The court also asked the state government to meet the just demands of the junior doctors or the post-graduate students in government-run medical colleges.

It also observed that it is not proper for medical students engaged in public service to resort to a strike.

The court suggested to the government that it not take any action against the striking medicos in view of their future prospects.

It, however, felt that if the junior doctors still continue the strike, the government can take action against them as per the law.

Reacting to the court orders, the Telangana Junior Doctors' Association (JUDA) said the government should take action to meet their long pending demands.

The high court last month directed the junior doctors to end their stir and resume duty. It had then observed that they cannot strike work like daily wage workers.

However, defying the court and the government, which had threatened to debar them for six months, they continued the strike.

The junior doctors are demanding that the government withdraw the rule which makes it mandatory for them to serve in rural areas for one year.

They say that they are not against serving in rural areas but the government should appoint them on a permanent basis to fill vacancies in the hospitals.

The strike by junior doctors since Sep 27 has affected healthcare services in the government hospitals in the region.