Doctors in Karnataka call off strike after Govt agrees to their demands

PTI, Sep 18, 2020, 4:40 PM IST

Bengaluru: The government doctors in Karnataka on Friday called off their strike over salary hike after the government conceded their demand. The announcement was made by state Health Minister B Sriramulu.

“The meeting with the protesting doctors was fruitful. Approval has been given to meet their demand,” Sriramulu tweeted after the meeting with the Karnataka Government Medical Officers’ Association office-bearers.

Praising Chief Minister B S Yediyurappa for his initiative to break the logjam, Sriramulu said, “Congratulations to the doctors on behalf of the government for calling off their strike.” The doctors under the aegis of KGMOA, went on strike from September 15 demanding a salary hike on par with the teaching faculties at the government medical colleges and hospitals. “We have called off the strike as the government has agreed to all our demands. They said they will earmark Rs 125 crore for this,” the KGMOA president Dr G Srinivas told PTI.

According to a district health officer, about 4,000 government doctors were on token strike. Earlier, Karnataka Medical Education Minister K Sudhakar too had exuded confidence that the government doctors would withdraw the agitation.

On Thursday, Karnataka reported 9,366 new cases of COVID-19 and 93 related fatalities, taking the total number of infections to 4,94,356 and toll to 7,629.