Amaravati (Andhra Pradesh) [India], August 25 (ANI): Yuvajana Sramika Rythu Congress Party (YSRCP) chief and former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday urged Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu to immediately hold talks with protesting junior doctors and resolve their demands, saying the ongoing strike was affecting medical services in government hospitals.
In a post on X, Reddy said nearly 9,000 interns, postgraduate doctors, super-speciality doctors and senior residents from 19 government medical colleges across the state had been protesting for the past two weeks over the revision of their stipends.
He said, "@ncbn garu, will you force junior doctors, who save lives, onto the streets and put the lives of poor patients at risk? Nearly 9,000 interns, postgraduate doctors, super-speciality doctors and senior residents from 19 government medical colleges across the State have been protesting for the past two weeks. Why have you not responded to them? Why have you withheld the stipend revision that, as per the rules, should have come into effect from January 1?"
Reddy said GO No. 287 provides for a 15 per cent increase in the stipend of junior doctors every two years and claimed that his government had provided higher increases during its tenure.
He stated, "GO No. 287 provides for a 15 percent increase in the stipend of junior doctors every two years. During our tenure, we went beyond this and increased the stipend by 42.4 per cent. We also recognised those pursuing super-speciality courses as Senior Residents and, considering their request, increased their stipend beyond the prescribed level, resulting in an overall increase of 77 percent. We also increased the stipends of AYUSH junior doctors on par with those of allopathic junior doctors. When junior doctors are seeking an increase of more than 15 per cent, considering rising prices, inflation and the increased cost of living, is it not unfair that you say you will increase their stipends by only 3 to 5 per cent?"
He said junior doctors were crucial to the functioning of government teaching hospitals and alleged that the strike was now affecting emergency services and causing hardship to patients.
"Government teaching hospitals depend heavily on the hard work of junior doctors to provide medical services. Now, due to the strike,
even emergency services such as casualty, ICUs and labour rooms are being affected, causing serious hardship to poor patients. Is your government's stubborn attitude not responsible for this situation, Chandrababu garu?"
Reddy also criticised the state government's handling of the public healthcare system, alleging that several initiatives introduced during his tenure had been weakened.
"You have weakened the Family Doctor programme. You have removed specialist doctors from Community Health Centres. You have rendered Village and Urban Clinics ineffective. You have severely weakened Aarogyasri and accumulated dues of more than Rs 3,000 crore. The damage you have caused to the public healthcare system is immense. Now, by dealing with junior doctors with the same arrogance, you are pushing even the remaining medical services beyond the reach of poor people," Reddy said.
Calling for an immediate resolution, Reddy urged Naidu to invite representatives of the junior doctors for talks, increase their stipends and ensure that patients do not face inconvenience in government hospitals.
"Chandrababu garu, at least now, give up this arrogance. Immediately invite representatives of the junior doctors for talks and resolve
their legitimate demands. Increase their stipends to an appropriate level, bring the strike to an end and ensure that poor patients do not face any inconvenience in government hospitals," he added.
The protest follows the escalation of the junior doctors' agitation, with doctors across government medical colleges and hospitals in Andhra Pradesh boycotting emergency services, ICUs and operation theatres.
The move affected medical services, including maternal and paediatric care, prompting hospital administrations to deploy senior faculty members and assistant surgeons to manage critical wards.
The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) has been demanding a 30 per cent hike in stipends pending since January 2026, withdrawal of the proposal to increase the retirement age of senior doctors from 62 to 65 years, and recruitment of MSc and PhD candidates as assistant professors strictly in accordance with National Medical Commission (NMC) norms.
The doctors have urged the state government to address their demands and initiate a dialogue to resolve the issue. (ANI)
YSRCP chief Jagan Mohan Reddy urges Chandrababu Naidu to resolve junior doctors' strike
