VIJAYAWADA: The differences between members of Andhra Pradesh Government Doctors Association (APGDA) has taken an interesting turn with the two main factions fighting for official government status.After bifurcation, the APGDA did not elect a new general body as there were differences among member groups. After years of trading barbs and scores of accusations, one of the main groups — APGDA Central Working Committee (CWC) — has demanded legal identity stating they staged various agitations for disgruntled medios, including protests for inclusion of in-service quota in reservation category of National Eligibility and Entrance Test (NEET).APGDA led by P Shyamsundar staged agitation in March 2018 and threatened to stall services in hospitals demanding increase of retirement age of MBBS doctors working in PHCs and other hospitals across the state. The CWC opposed the decision of the APGDA and called doctors to not support the protests organised by APGDA.APGDA has stalled protests for 45 days considering the uncertainty in the state and health sector with the strike call given by junior doctors and CWC alleging APGDA failed to lead the agitations and they will lead it further.Government doctors who are closely observing protests and counter-protests of two groups are requesting them to unite and achieve long pending demands. “Our fight is against the government which increased retirement age of PG doctors and ignored MBBS doctors. This affected promotions of hundreds of doctors. Differences in association and formation of two different groups is affecting our agitation,” says Dr Srinivas a representative of APGDA.Dr Jayadheer convenor of CWC says they are going to give notification for the election of general body and decision will be made on the legal APGDA body. Former IMA chief P Gangadhara Rao accused the Centre of favouring corporate hospitals with their latest reforms. He said single doctors and small nursing homes are suffering .

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