Doctors across government medical colleges in Kerala are stepping up their industrial action, announcing a complete boycott of all outpatient (OP) clinics this Monday.
The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers’ Association (KGMCTA) clarified on Friday that this difficult decision was not taken lightly. They feel compelled to escalate their protest because the government has consistently ignored their persistent demands and previous peaceful demonstrations.
As a result of this faculty boycott, only junior doctors and postgraduate medical students will be available for duty at Medical College Hospitals (MCHs) on Monday. The KGMCTA has therefore issued a public appeal, urging people to avoid visiting MCHs on this day unless facing a genuine emergency.
Core Demands Driving the Strike
Some of the key issues driving the KGMCTA’s agitation have been unresolved for an extended period. A major point of contention is the pay revision for medical college doctors, which is typically due every ten years. Although the revision was scheduled for 2016, it was only finally implemented in 2020. Consequently, doctors are now demanding the immediate payment of salary and dearness allowance arrears, which have accumulated over the past four years or more.
Additional demands include rectifying discrepancies in the entry-level salary structure and ensuring that doctors are appointed in numbers proportionate to the actual patient load. The KGMCTA has consistently argued against the government’s practice of simply reassigning doctors from existing, already stretched medical colleges to newly opened ones. While this strategy might help new colleges gain recognition from the National Medical Commission, it does nothing to address the severe statewide shortage of medical professionals.
The Association emphasized that this redeployment policy not only hinders the smooth operation of established medical colleges but also prevents poor patients from receiving the high-quality, advanced care they deserve. The KGMCTA strongly believes that this strike action, though impactful on the public, has been entirely necessitated by the government’s continued inaction and policies.
The KGMCTA plans to continue its phased boycott of OP clinics on a relay basis on the following dates: October 28 (Tuesday), November 5 (Wednesday), November 13 (Thursday), November 21 (Friday), and November 29 (Saturday). Medical student classes will also be suspended on these specified strike days.