FOGDA protest over pay revision, promotions and staff shortages halted after hospital dean denied permission for demonstration
Doctors affiliated with the Federation of Government Doctors Association (FOGDA) were forced to suspend their indefinite hunger strike on Thursday after police intervened at the premises of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital in Chennai, following the hospital administration’s refusal to grant permission for the protest on campus.
The protest began around 10 a.m., with government doctors launching an indefinite fast to press for several long-pending demands related to pay revision, promotions, and staffing issues in the public health system.
Key Demands of Government Doctors
The agitation was aimed at urging the Government of Tamil Nadu to address multiple unresolved issues affecting government doctors. Their major demands include a review of Government Order 354 of 2009 related to pay structure and promotions, a Rs 3,000 monthly allowance for Primary Health Centre (PHC) medical officers, separate postgraduate increments, the revival of 1,500 posts removed during a restructuring exercise, and the creation of new positions based on increasing patient load in government hospitals.
Talks With Health Department Failed
Earlier, representatives of FOGDA had held discussions with the state Health Secretary, who assured them that the issues would be taken up with the Finance Department. However, as no concrete agreement was reached, the doctors decided to go ahead with the indefinite hunger strike beginning March 5.
Police Ask Doctors to Obtain Prior Permission
During the protest, police officials informed the doctors that demonstrations inside hospital premises required prior administrative approval. By around 4 p.m., the dean of Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital issued an official directive instructing the protesting doctors to vacate the premises and warned that further action could be taken if they failed to comply.
FOGDA Suspends Fast, Condemns Dean’s Action
Following the directive, FOGDA coordinators decided to suspend the hunger strike midway. The federation, however, strongly criticized the administration’s move, stating that preventing doctors from protesting within their workplace restricts their right to raise legitimate concerns about service conditions and healthcare infrastructure.
Federation Represents Multiple Doctor Bodies
FOGDA is an umbrella body comprising several doctors’ organisations, including the Democratic Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association, Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association, and the Government All Doctors Association.
In an official communication, the hospital dean stated that protests cannot be permitted within the premises of a medical institution. The administration also warned that if the protestors did not leave, the matter would be reported to the police for further action.
Police officials later confirmed that the doctors had been advised to obtain permission from the relevant authorities before staging any protest at the hospital premises, according to a report by The Hindu.
