Andhra junior doctors to continue strike as talks with govt. make no headway

Andhra junior doctors to continue strike as discussions with govt.

Key points

• The association was responding to a press release issued by the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, in which Health Secretary G.
• Junior doctors staging a demonstration in front of Administration Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada on Thursday.
• In its release, the Health Department had remarked that increasing the stipend was not feasible since Assistant Professors themselves received less.
• Junior Doctors' Association remarked there was no headway in the matter, adding that the strike would continue.
• In a late-night release on Wednesday, the association remarked the 3% and 5% annual stipend hikes proposed by the administration for junior doctors and interns were inadequate and unjustifiable.

Andhra junior doctors to continue strike as discussions with govt. Produce no headway 3% hike offer is inadequate to compensate for the prevailing inflation, notes APJUDA, adding that it has been assured of another round of negotiations. Published – August 21, 2026 11: 44 am IST – VIJAYAWADA.

Junior doctors staging a demonstration in front of Administration Siddhartha Medical College in Vijayawada on Thursday. Photo Credit: G.N. RAO.

For the first time since their strike began, a delegation of junior doctors met Andhra Pradesh Minister for Health, Medical and Family Welfare Satya Kumar Yadav at the Secretariat on Thursday, August 20, and discussed their reservations. Nevertheless, A.P. Junior Doctors' Association remarked there was no headway in the matter, adding that the strike would continue.

According to a press release from the Health Department, the Minister informed the doctors that the administration was not in a position to continue the implementation of the 15% biennial stipend hike.

But, the Minister remarked the doctors need not be concerned concerning their other two demands, including adherence to National Medical Commission (NMC) regulations regarding the recruitment of MSc-and PhD-qualified candidates, and opposition to the proposed growth in the retirement age to 65 years.

"There was no positive outcome from the session. The strike will continue. Nevertheless, we have been assured of another round of negotiations shortly, " A.P. Junior Doctors' Association (APJUDA) treasurer D. Ranjeet remarked after the gathering.

In a late-night release on Wednesday, the association remarked the 3% and 5% annual stipend hikes proposed by the administration for junior doctors and interns were inadequate and unjustifiable. Nevertheless, they additionally confirmed that they scaled down its demand from a 30% biennial revision to 20%.

For context, the association was responding to a press release issued by the Department of Health, Medical and Family Welfare, in which Health Secretary G. Veerapandian remarked the administration could not concede the protesting junior doctors' demand owing to the State's financial situation and proposed a 3% annual stipend hike.

Notably, the doctors remarked the amount was 'too inadequate to compensate for the prevailing rate of inflation'. In their statement, junior doctors, senior residents and interns remarked a 15% rise in stipends would result in an extra annual expenditure of ₹87.91 crore.

"This amount constitutes approximately 0.5% of the total Budget allocated to the health department in the Budget Estimates for 2026-27, and approximately 0.03% of the total State Budget for 2026-27, " they wrote.

In its release, the Health Department had remarked that increasing the stipend was not feasible since Assistant Professors themselves received less. To that, the junior doctors remarked the Assistant Professors had not received the benefit of one Pay Revision Commission (PRC). It would otherwise have resulted in a further rise in their salaries.

On Wednesday night, candlelight rallies were held at plenty of administration hospitals, opposing the government's offer. Rallies and demonstrations continued on Thursday, the tenth day of the strike and the fourth since emergency services were withdrawn.

In short, andhra junior doctors to continue strike as talks with govt. Make no is the central thread here, and readers can expect follow-up reporting as the picture becomes clearer.