Health Dept Justifies GO 85; PHC Docs to Intensify Stir

Vijayawada: Even as PHC doctors are in a stir demanding scrapping of GO 85 which cuts the in-service quota for PG courses to 15 per cent in clinical seats and to 30 in non-clinical seats, the health department justified its act by saying it helped in ensuring specialist services in all secondary and tertiary health institutions in the state.

Health Special Chief Secretary M. T. Krishna Babu on Friday stated that the GO 85 was issued based on a recommendation from senior health officials. He said the in-service reservation helped 750 civil assistant surgeons to pursue PG courses in 2022-23 and 2023-24 while the resultant vacancies in the PHCs were filled up immediately.

He said after completion of PG, they could not be absorbed in PHCs as the vacancies were already filled up and specialist doctors could not be accommodated in PHCs as they are designed to deliver primary health services through MBBS doctors only.

He alleged that out of 800 civil assistant surgeons sponsored to pursue PG through in-service quota, 272 flouted bond provisions. Moreover, he claimed that provision of reservation to in-service candidates would reduce availability of seats to meritorious candidates to pursue PG.

As the talks between the PHC Doctors’ Association and health authorities remained inconclusive, PHC doctors will intensify their stir. They will attend only emergency cases from Sept 14 onwards.