JUDA protest enters eighth day, health services partially affected at KGH in Vizag

The protest by members of the Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) entered its eighth day on Tuesday, with junior doctors continuing their agitation at King George Hospital (KGH), demanding that the State government resolve their long-pending demands, including revision of their stipend.

The continued protest has reportedly had a partial impact on healthcare services at the hospital. However, the KGH administration said that it had made alternative arrangements by deploying additional staff, service postgraduate students and senior doctors to ensure essential medical services were not disrupted.

The administration said special attention was being given to emergency services, with priority accorded to patients requiring immediate medical attention. KGH receives an average of around 130 emergency cases a day, and officials said efforts were being made to ensure that such services remained unaffected.

However, sources at KGH said that since Monday the number of minor and major surgeries, as well as deliveries, had reportedly declined following the intensification of the junior doctors’ agitation.

The AP JUDA had begun a phased strike on August 11, demanding revision of stipend, which has been pending since January 1, 2026. The agitation initially involved a time-bound withdrawal of non-emergency services. However, following several rounds of talks with the State government the issue was not resolved and the protest intensified.

As part of the intensified agitation, junior doctors began withdrawing from attending emergency services from August 17, including services in intensive care units, casualty wards and labour rooms at the government medical colleges and teaching hospitals across Andhra Pradesh.