HYDERABAD: The emergency services at government hospitals are likely to be affected with talks between striking junior doctors and the state government breaking down on Thursday. The agitating doctors had been called for talks with the group of ministers constituted by the chief minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy, which include health minister DL Ravindra Reddy, finance minister Anam Ramnarayana Reddy, home minister J Geetha Reddy and S Sailajanath.However, with neither side yielding ground, the junior doctors later announced they will continue with their strike.The government stuck to its position that the present stipend of `18,000 can only be hiked by Rs 5,000. D Vinay, a member of the Junior Doctors’ Association JAC said, “We will intensify our agitation from Friday. We have the backing of all Opposition parties as well as the people.” Meanwhile, the indefinite hunger strike by junior doctors reached the ninth day on Thursday.Four fasting medicos were shifted to the ICU on Tuesday evening and given intravenous fluids.The condition of 12 members, including two women who joined the indefinite fast on Wednesday evening, has also become critical. Ravindra Reddy said the Directorate of Medical Education would take appropriate action against the striking doctors if they refused to attend regular duties.He added that the government would make alternative arrangements to serve patients if the junior doctors continued to abstain from duties. The health minister said the government is prepared to increase the stipend to 15 per cent as per the agreement reached in November 2010 but it could not accept the demand of scrapping one year of compulsory service in rural areas for the doctors.
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