AYUSH students, house surgeons and postgraduate doctors withdraw indefinite strike after Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha assures parity in stipends with allopathy trainees
Telangana AYUSH students, house surgeons and postgraduate doctors have called off their 28-day strike following an assurance from Health Minister C. Damodar Raja Narasimha to address their long-pending demand for a hike in stipends.
The decision came after a delegation of AYUSH students, house surgeons, postgraduate doctors and student leaders met the Health Minister in Hyderabad and raised their concerns over the disparity in stipends between AYUSH and allopathy medical trainees.
The delegation sought an increase in stipends for AYUSH house surgeons and postgraduate doctors, stating that the demand had remained pending for nearly a decade. They also demanded parity with the stipends paid to their allopathy counterparts.
AYUSH Doctors Seek Stipend Parity With Allopathy
“The Minister heard our concerns and assured us that the government would take a positive decision on increasing AYUSH stipends to a level on par with allopathy. He also assured us that the necessary procedures would be completed and an official Government Order (GO) would be issued soon,” the doctors said in a statement, as reported by The Hindu.
Following the Minister’s assurance, the AYUSH students and doctors announced the withdrawal of their indefinite strike.
Earlier, Ananthalakshmi Government Ayurvedic Medical College and Teaching Hospital in Warangal had witnessed an indefinite strike by Telangana AYUSH Joint Action Committee (JAC) house surgeons over the demand for a stipend hike.
JAC Joint Secretary Dr Rohith Basre had said that the strike would continue under the slogan “No holiday until justice”. The protesting AYUSH house surgeons had alleged that they had not received fair treatment regarding stipends for nearly a decade.
Government Order on Stipend Hike Awaited
Speaking to V6 Velugu, AYUSH JAC President Dr Rajesh said that Minister Damodar had recognised the difficulties faced by the students and assured them that orders to increase the stipend would be issued soon.
Following the assurance, the AYUSH doctors and students completely withdrew the strike and expressed gratitude to the state government and the Health Minister for taking the initiative to address their concerns.
The AYUSH doctors and students are now awaiting the Telangana Government’s formal decision and issuance of the promised Government Order on the stipend hike.