Dinesh Gundu Rao | Photo Credit: Photo File
HC Mahadevappa | Photo Credit: Photo File
The Karnataka Government Medical Officers’ Association (KGMOA) on Tuesday called off its proposed indefinite strike that was scheduled to begin on Wednesday, March 11, after the state government assured that their demands would be considered in a time-bound manner.
The decision was taken after representatives of the association met the chief secretary, social affairs minister HC Mahadevappa, health minister Dinesh Gundu Rao and other senior officials of the health and welfare ministry on Tuesday.
According to KGMOA state president Ravindranath M. Meti, the government has agreed to address 13 of the 14 demands raised by the association.
“We have received assurances from the government that most of our demands will be addressed within the stipulated time frame. Therefore, we have decided to shelve our agitation for the time being and keep open the possibility of future protests if no progress is made within the promised time frame,” said Dr. Meti The Hindu.
The association had earlier warned that government doctors would launch a phased protest, starting on Wednesday 11 March. In the first phase, from March 11 to 15, doctors planned to stop outpatient services while continuing to operate emergency rooms. From March 16, doctors, officers and staff proposed to abstain from all duties until their demands were met.
Officials said the government had opened talks with the association ahead of the strike to prevent disruption of health services across the state.
Additional contribution
Among the assurances given by the government is the creation of the post of additional secretary in the department, which would be manned by a technical expert. The association has long demanded such a position to ensure that administrative decisions in the department are supported by technical expertise.
In earlier submissions to the government, the association pointed out that the Ministry of Health currently has about 36,397 officials and staff who provide health services to nearly six million people in the state. However, vacancies, retirements and recruitment delays have significantly increased the workload of existing staff.
Key requirements
Among the key demands of the association are amendments to the personnel and recruitment regulations, the publication of updated seniority lists and the timely promotion of eligible doctors and employees. According to the association, seniority lists in some cadres have not been revised for almost 13 years, leading to delays in promotions.
The association also raised concerns over the suspension of further training opportunities for doctors, irregular transfers and shortage of medicines in government hospitals.
Another major concern of the association is the large number of vacancies in the department, with nearly 40% of the sanctioned posts reportedly remaining vacant. Many of those sanctioned positions were created based on 1998 population figures, the association said, noting that staffing levels have not kept pace with the state’s growing population and health care demands.
Published – 10 March 2026 21:33 IST
