In a last-minute development, the planned strike by government doctors, scheduled to take place tomorrow morning, has been called off following the revocation of the suspension of the Disturbance, Availability, and Transport (DAT) allowance increment.
The Government Medical Officers' Association (GMOA) issued a statement announcing the cancellation of the strike. According to the statement, the Director General of Health Services has formally rescinded the recent suspension of the DAT allowance for doctors, a move that was initially included in the January salary.
The decision to lift the suspension, effective immediately, comes after the initial directive to temporarily halt the payment of the increased DAT allowance. The GMOA expressed satisfaction with the Director General's swift response to address the concerns raised by government doctors.
Furthermore, health institution leaders have received instructions to disburse the relevant allowance for January through a special voucher for doctors who are not covered by the regular payroll. This measure is aimed at ensuring that all eligible medical professionals receive their due allowances without further delay.
The DAT allowance, which had been raised from Rs. 35,000 to Rs. 70,000, was unexpectedly suspended earlier in the day in compliance with the Treasury's directive. The sudden reversal of this decision has averted the potential disruption to healthcare services that the planned strike could have caused.
Doctors across government hospitals can now proceed without the threat of industrial action, and patients can expect uninterrupted medical services as the government addresses the concerns related to the DAT allowance.
