Jagan Mohan Reddy challenges Andhra Pradesh government over doctors' strike

The protest, involving nearly 9,000 interns, postgraduate students, and senior residents, centers on a stalled stipend revision that was originally slated for January 1. Reddy accused the current administration of offering a negligible 3 to 5 percent increase, arguing that the medical professionals require a more substantial raise to combat inflation and rising living costs. He contrasted this with his own tenure, claiming his government had previously implemented stipend hikes reaching 77 percent for certain super-speciality roles.

The impact of the walkout has reached critical levels, with doctors boycotting casualty wards, ICUs, and labor rooms. Hospital administrations have been forced to scramble, deploying senior faculty and assistant surgeons to manage the vacuum left by the strikers. Beyond the stipends, the Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association is demanding adherence to National Medical Commission norms for recruitment and opposing changes to the retirement age for senior doctors. Reddy further alleged that the government’s broader healthcare strategy, including the Family Doctor program and the Aarogyasri health scheme, has been severely compromised, leaving the state’s medical infrastructure in a state of crisis.