Junior Doctors Reject Andhra Pradesh Stipend Offer as Emergency Boycotts Continue
A continued breakdown would extend emergency-service boycotts, forcing fresh budget decisions on the state's health spending.
Overview
- The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association formally rejected the state government's stipend press note on August 21, saying the proposed up to 5% one‑off increase for interns and 3% annual rise for trainees is inadequate.
- Junior doctors have intensified strike action and have been boycotting emergency services since August 17, disrupting care across the 18 government hospitals with teaching colleges.
- APJUDA is demanding a 20% 2026 fitment correction and annual revisions indexed to the consumer price index plus 3% real growth, and it has set a short deadline for high‑level talks before it escalates protests.
- Government officials say they are negotiating and have signalled a possible mid‑range compromise of roughly 7–10% for interns, citing tight state finances and a 2022 memo that advised ending ad‑hoc 15% hikes.
- Beyond pay, APJUDA seeks strict enforcement of the National Medical Commission's 15% cap on non‑medical faculty and a ban on non‑medical staff teaching clinical subjects, a demand the association says links to training quality and workloads.