Protesting doctors reach out to public

On Saturday, the Students Welfare Association for MMC Post Graduates, Compulsory Rotatory Residential Internship and Under Graduates (STAMP-MMC) staged a skit at the Institute of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Egmore, to sensitise the public about their protest. Talking to DTNext, Dr C Thiyagaraj of STAMPMMC, said, “We are now looking at ways to take our message to the public through various mediums, conveying to them why we are staging the protest and what our demands are.” 

Various organisations of medical students, doctors and officers objected to the recent Madras High Court ruling, which they believe, has put service quota for government doctors in NEET PG admissions in danger. They say that the 50 per cent quota for the service doctors should be retained to incentivise those volunteering to work in the government sector. The same group reached out to public and patient attenders at the Madras Medical College on Saturday. 

Similarly, the Tamil Nadu Medical Officers Association (TNMOA) is also looking at ways to involve people, saying that the latter stands to be affected the most. Dr J Kathirvel, state secretary of TNMOA , says, “There is a grave danger awaiting government health services and the public ought to know about it. This is not an isolated strike by the doctors alone.” 

The Tamil Nadu Government Doctors Association, which has been spearheading the protests and the Doctors Association for Social Equality (DASE), have brought out awareness pamphlets to be distributed among the public. Dr GR Ravindranath, general secretary, DASE, says, “The impact of the ruling doesn’t end with PG courses alone, as super specialty admissions too are coming up. We are also looking at ways to engage with the public at primary health centres, as public health stands to be affected the most.” 

Dr P Balakrishnan of the TNGDA says, “It is time to consolidate the protests into a movement which needs to reach the masses.”