Goa doctors call off the State-wide strike and protest against State Health Minister
After a meeting held late in the evening on Tuesday (June 11, 2025), with the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) said that they have unanimously decided to call off the impending statewide strike.
Also Read | Rising trend of scapegoating doctors for administrative failures, says Maharashtra doctors' association
GARD represents the unified voice of resident doctors across the State. Dr. Aayush Sharma, president of GARD, said that this decision was made in the paramount interest of public health and to prevent any disruption to patient care.
'We wish to reiterate that our commitment to our patients remains our foremost priority, contrary to any insinuations from third parties. We have chosen the path of dialogue and de-escalation to ensure that vital healthcare services for the Goan public continue uninterrupted,' Dr. Sharma said.
At a meeting with the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Dean Dr. Shivanand M. Bandekar, medical superintendent Dr. Rajesh T. Patil and members of GARD and doctors from GMCH, the Goa CM requested doctors to withdraw their strike and assured no repercussion or action will be false against any doctors due to the incident.
In the meeting, the CM mentioned that a public apology has already been given by the Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane, in the regional and national news channels and that should suffice. However, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Rudresh Kurtikar, who was abused by the minister on June 7, insisted for a public apology at the same casualty ward.
But later the doctors said that it was decided that such a demand cannot be made as a government officer cannot ask a minister to come over to his office and apologise. 'This is not about the minister in power abusing publicly to Dr. Kurtikar, but it is about the insult of the chair and the way government doctors are treated by the people in power,' the doctors' association said.
During the meeting, the CM directed the Dean and Medical Superintendent for strict prohibition of videography and photography at the patient care area of the hospital and asked them to put up posters in the relevant areas.
On the V.I.P. culture, the CM asked the doctors' association to explain to which, GARD president said, 'Threatening the doctors by giving references of political power will not be entertained.'
The CM said, 'Even when I call to find out about the condition of a certain patient, it does not mean I am compromising the treatment of other serious patients. I advise treating all patients on a severity basis depending upon triaging.'
The CM asked the Dean to enhance grievance redressal system at the hospital and constitute a disciplinary committee headed by the health secretary as a Chairman, Dean and Medical Superintendent as a member and head of the respective department as a fourth member to issue any complaints received for or against medical professionals.
During the meeting, Dr. Reshmarani Salelkar requested the formation of a Staff Society for all consultants and staff of GMCH, which has been defunct for the last 15 years. The CM directed the Dean to consider the same.
'The CM assured us that no repercussions or action will be false against any doctors due to this particular incident. He also reviewed the security of medical professionals at the GMCH and assured them to strengthen the security. He agreed to the Dean's proposal to post armed police at various sensitive zones of GMCH and said he would depute 50 armed policemen with immediate effect. The CM directed the police department to post a PSI rank officer around the clock and advised them to share a common mobile number to attend all complaints from the medical professions in Goa,' Dr. Sharma said.
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