Postgraduate students and house surgeons across Kerala began a 24-hour strike on Wednesday demanding a hike in their stipend which was last increased in 2019.
The medicos are boycotting all hospital services, including emergency services till 8am on Thursday.
The Kerala Medical Postgraduates’ Association (KPMGA) had conducted a token strike on September 29 to draw the government’s attention to their demand for a hike in stipend, slashing of university fee and ensuring that the committee headed by the Health Secretary to look into all issues raised by the medicos.
Though a committee was set up under the health secretary in the wake of the murder of medical student Vandana Das to look into all issues faced by medicos, such as acute shortage of hostel facilities, senior residency issues and issues of hospital security, there has been no improvementin the state of affairs, KMPGA pointed out.
