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Kerala Doctors Strike: Patients Face Disruption
15 Feb
Summary
- Doctors boycott outpatient services and academic activities indefinitely.
- Strike includes non-emergency surgeries and elective procedures.
- Long-standing demands on salary, pension, and posts remain unmet.
Government medical college doctors in Kerala initiated an indefinite strike starting February 15, 2026, halting outpatient clinical services and all academic activities. From February 19, the strike expanded to include non-emergency surgeries and elective procedures. The Kerala Government Medical College Teachers' Association (KGMCTA) stated that protests began on July 1, 2025, but the state government has failed to address long-standing demands.
Key grievances include overdue salary revision arrears, discrepancies in salary revision orders, pension ceiling adjustments, creation of adequate posts in medical colleges, and payment of Dearness Allowance (DA) arrears. While partial resolution occurred for entry-level salary shortfalls after discussions with the Health Minister, payment of salary revision arrears for most doctors remains outstanding.
Further escalation is planned, with faculty set to boycott university examination duties from February 26, 2026. The KGMCTA has clarified that emergency services, including casualty, labor room, ICUs, inpatient services, and postmortem examinations, are exempt from the strike. The association emphasized the necessity of this action to maintain medical education standards, ensure the viability of government medical colleges, and protect patients' healthcare rights.
