T-Doctors battle for nativity

Want to occupy top posts held by AP doctors

A continuing battle of nativity among doctors has taken a hideous turn, with medicos hailing from Telangana demanding immediate substitution of Andhra Pradesh doctors who are holding key positions in city hospitals.

The bifurcation of assets and staff in the health department are moving at an extremely slow pace, hundreds of T doctors took out a rally to the director of medical education's office on Thursday, demanding immediate dismissal of AP staff from the state.

“All Seemandhra natives holding administrative posts in state-run hospitals in Hyderabad and principals of medical colleges should step down. Seemandhra administrators should go to their region,” demanded Dr B Ramesh, state president of the Telangana Government Doctors Association.

Until now, the government has appointed Telangana local Dr Putta Srinivas as the director of medical education, and has indicated it will take some time before all changes are made.

The protestors before the DME's office also demanded that the doctors from the T region who are posted in Andhra region be brought back to their native state without more ado.

Several doctors from Telangana, who were of late given promotions and posted at hospitals in Vijayawada and Kurnool, before bifurcation, were facing pressure from Andhra staff because of their nativity, said the association.

“They should be brought back to Hyderabad. Telangana doctors have been suffering for decades together,” said an association member, urging the new government to recruit doctors to fill up posts that will be left vacant after doctors from AP region leave.