Kerala medical college doctors suspend strike for 1 week after govt assurances, OP services to resume

The government medical college doctors in Kerala suspended their strike for one week following written assurances from the state government on salary arrears and hospital infrastructure improvements.

The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association (KGMCTA), which resumed the indefinite strike from February 16, announced on Wednesday that the boycott of outpatient (OP) services, academic activities, and elective surgeries has been temporarily withdrawn. The hunger strike has also been called off.

The decision came after discussions with the Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, held at the direction of the Health Minister. The government has assured that 18 months of pending salary arrears will be released immediately, while the remaining 39 months will be disbursed in accordance with legal procedures.

Officials also informed the association that there are no legal hurdles in releasing the 18 months' arrears and that steps would be taken to ensure early disbursal.

The government has further assured that steps will be taken to improve infrastructure and increase the number of posts in medical colleges. Notably, 44 new doctor posts were created in Kasaragod and Wayanad medical colleges in November 2025 following the agitation.

The association further said that the correction of pay anomalies in entry-level posts during the first phase of the strike is expected to attract more young doctors to medical colleges and help fill existing as well as newly created vacancies, thereby preventing institutional decline. It added that it would continue to put forward constructive proposals to enhance the standards of medical colleges.

The association has been protesting since July 1, 2025. The doctors had launched an OP boycott on February 2 and were called for talks by the government. They then called off further strikes following government assurances on their demands. However, alleging that the government had gone back on its promise, the association later began an indefinite strike from February 16, boycotting OP services and academic activities.

KGMCTA said it decided to suspend the strike even before a formal government order was issued in this regard, considering the hardship faced by patients and students. However, the association warned that if government orders implementing the assurances are not issued within a week, it would resume stronger protest measures.