ESMA threat divides Tamil Nadu doctors, section of them withdraw stir
Last Updated: 06th May 2017 05:18 AM |
Members of the Federation for
Protection of Educational Rights participating in a protest seeking NEET
exemption for Tamil Nadu at Valluvar Kottam on Friday | d sampathkumar
CHENNAI: Prodded by the Madras High Court’s veiled warning of
action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), a section of
doctors announced withdrawal of protest after holding discussions with
the Health Minister and senior officials.
However, there are several other associations part of the protest, of whom some said the protests would continue while others said a decision would be taken during a meeting on Saturday. “We hope to get justice and so have temporarily withdrawn our protest all over the State,” said Dr P Balakrishnan, State general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, after the meeting with State authorities, which went on for over two hours at the Secretariat on Friday evening.
The agitating doctors have assured the authorities they would not
stay away from work en masse on Saturday, said senior officials who held
two-hour long discussion with them this evening. “We instructed them to
ensure that the strike will not affect treatment of patients or cause
any inconvenience to the public. We hope they will withdraw the strike.
They have social responsibility, and they are aware of it,” said health
minister C Vijaya Basker.
“The doctors have assured they will not take mass casual leave on Saturday. Elective surgeries will not affected,” added health secretary J Radhakrishnan. The Director of Medical Education, Director of Public Health were part of the team that held talks with docs’ associations.
However, there are several other associations part of the protest, of whom some said the protests would continue while others said a decision would be taken during a meeting on Saturday. “We hope to get justice and so have temporarily withdrawn our protest all over the State,” said Dr P Balakrishnan, State general secretary of the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, after the meeting with State authorities, which went on for over two hours at the Secretariat on Friday evening.
Dr G R Ravindranath from the Doctors
Association for Social Equality added that they had not staged any
protest but only conducted rallies, human chain and seminars on
reservation. “So we will continue to do it,” added Ravindranath, who is a
part of the Joint Action Committee. However, the main players in the
protest such as Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association and Service
Doctors and Post Graduates Association have not yet taken a call on
withdrawing the protest. “If the court verdict does not come in our
favour, the State government should promulgate a special ordinance to
save 50 per cent reservation for government doctors. Till then, we will
continue our protest,” said Dr A Ramalingam, State organising secretary,
Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association.
According to the association, after the
Medical Council of India has given the right to the State government to
notify remote areas, the authorities here should declare all primary
health centres, taluk, non-taluk, district headquarters hospitals and
Medical College Hospitals in Sivaganga, Tiruvarur and Tiruvannamalai
districts as remote areas. “With this, over 60 per cent doctors will
benefit,” said Ramalingam.
“We have always made sure that treatment
for patients is not denied or even delayed. We took part in the strike
only after finishing our shifts. We will continue our protest, as we
always did, by conducting dharna and human chain,” he added, refusing to
back down despite the HC warning.
The influential Tamil Nadu Medical
Officers Association, that has a member base of over 3,000, said a
decision would be taken at the general body meeting on Saturday. The
association has been protesting at the Directorate of Medical Services
(DMS) campus for the past 18 days.
“Till now we have not withdrawn the
protest. The decision on whether to continue or withdraw the protest
will be taken during the general body meeting,” said Dr G Anusya, State
Women’s Wing secretary.
Meanwhile, the Medical Students of Tamil
Nadu Association (MESTA) has indicated they will continue the protest
in a democratic way, in a manner which will not affect the welfare of
patients or general public. An emergency general body meeting of MESTA
resolved to draw public attention to their cause by doing ward
sensitisation programme after signing the attendance on Saturday.
“The doctors have assured they will not take mass casual leave on Saturday. Elective surgeries will not affected,” added health secretary J Radhakrishnan. The Director of Medical Education, Director of Public Health were part of the team that held talks with docs’ associations.
No comments:
Post a Comment