Medicos, state talks fall through

Hyderabad: Telangana Deputy Chief Minister Dr T. Rajaiah held talks with striking post-graduate medicos on Saturday in a bid to end the stalemate over compulsory government service in government-run hospitals.

However, the talks ended inconclusively and the two sides are expected to meet for another round of talks. The government has categorically told the junior doctors that government service cannot be abolished.

Dr Rajaiah told the core committee members of the Junior Doctors' Association (JUDA) that government service cannot be done away with. However, he added that the honorarium would be hiked to the level of a civil assistant surgeon.

As demanded by the medicos, special protection would be provided to them when they go for rural service. Dr Rajaiah also offered to regularise the stipend paid to the junior doctors.

However, medicos told the Deputy Chief Minister  that they would examine the offers made and return for another round of talks. The government is silent on the medicos’ demand of permanent jobs over a one-year internship in government-run hospitals.

Medicos, say that the issue of honorarium hike was brought in by government officials to move away from their main demand of regularisation.

Meanwhile NIMS at sea over post grads

With no proper counselling for the Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, the post-graduate students are confused as they are not being posted in the Osmania General Hospital, the Gandhi Hospital or the districts.

Dr Nagesh K. from Nims said, “When counselling is done, the students must be given a fair chance and all the seats must be put across. But they have been very selective and there is no proper allotment. We went on the first day of the counselling, but were told that we were not included in the list and will have to wait for our turn.”

The counselling has already been delayed by three months and anxious students are waiting to take up posts. Senior health officers in the medical and education wing said, “The policy of the government has been to divide and allocate students.

This was not the case earlier. All of them were treated at par. But right now, there are different rules for OGH, Gandhi and Nims.