New postings: Kakatiya medical college docs kept on tenterhooks

Hyderabad: Days after the state health authorities assured re-allotment of postings for PG doctors under district residency programme, doctors of Kakatiya Medical College are lamenting the non-implementation of the decision as a result of which their postings to new hospitals remain pending.

The Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) had demanded accommodation arrangements for resident doctors during the three-month residency programme. After failing to provide accommodation, the director of medical education, Dr K. Ramesh Reddy on April 10 announced that doctors will be given new postings based on the distance from their home colleges for travel convenience.

However, as things stand, KMC doctors are waiting for a final word on their relocated postings.

Around 40 doctors from KMC are in the first batch of DRP, who have been posted to four locations. Of them, 10 have been posted in Mulugu, 18 in Mahbubabad, seven in Eturunagaram and five in Narsampet. Only Eturunagaram has an accommodation facility.

Dr D. Srinath, JUDA president for KMC, who has been posted to Mahbubabad, said that the DME had assured new postings, though there was no clarity on their accommodation.

“A final call will be taken in the coming week. We are willing to relocate to the new postings since traveling to Mahbubabad every day has become tedious”, he said.

Meanwhile, the doctors said that the issue has to be resolved on a permanent basis as more batches would follow for the residency programme.

Dr Kaushik Kumar Pinjarla, president of the Junior Doctors' Association said, “New postings have been allotted to PG doctors from Nizamabad, Adilabad and other places. We are waiting for the KMC postings to be finalized. However, instead of a temporary fix, we want the authorities to address the issue and allot permanent accommodation for the next batches to come”.

Doctors had called off the strike after the decision for re-allotment of DRP postings were declared by the DME on April 10. However, the doctors continue to press for a 15 per cent hike in stipends and their regular payment.