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CHENNAI: At least 13,000 government doctors of the The Federation of Government Doctors Association will boycott work, including outpatient and inpatient treatment barring emergencies, indefinitely from Friday.

As all formal and informal talks with the state health department over their demand for increase in salaries, quota in medical education and appointment of more doctors have failed, the federation of five associations announced that they had no option but to go on strike.

Meanwhile, directors of public health, medical education and medical services warned staff that leaves will be considered ‘unauthorised absence’ and ‘break in service’. Allowances on pay will be on the basis of ‘no work no pay,’ they said in a communication to doctors.

“There is a fever outbreak and we are seeing increasing dengue case. If MBBS doctors go on leave, it will take at least another two years for them to be eligible for PG studies,” said Dr K Kolandaswamy. If there is a break in service, there will also be a delay in increments and promotions at medical colleges and district headquarters hospitals, he added. He has also asked for a daily report on attendance from deans and heads along with action taken report by 9.30am from Sunday. The DME has issued circulars warning doctors about the consequences of the strike.

On Thursday, the federation said that government doctors will remain on duty in emergency wards, labour wards, ICUs and cathlabs for emergency treatment. “All outpatient services, surgeries and inpatient treatment will not be done until the government resolves issues,” said Dr A Ramalingam of the Service Doctors and Post Graduates Association.

For more than a decade, doctors have been asking the government to implement the prospective clause of government order 354, which promises time-bound promotion in five, nine, 11 and 12 years of service. “Last time we went on strike, health minister promised action in six weeks, but nothing changed. We are holding the strike only after giving adequate time to the government,” he said. In August, health minister C Vijayabaskar said the state had appointed Tamil Nadu State AIDS Control Society project director Dr K Senthil Raj as a special officer to look into doctors’ demands. It also promised a review once every two weeks.

Doctors from the Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, who are not a part of the federation, said they will go on a 48-hour strike from October 30.

