Medical students and junior doctors staged a beach rally in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday as part of their ongoing agitation, urging the Andhra Pradesh government to respond to their demands and initiate dialogue to resolve the dispute. The protest marked the 10th day of the junior doctors' strike and the third consecutive day of suspension of emergency services at government medical colleges and hospitals across the state.
The protesting doctors said they organised the beach rally to draw the government's attention to their concerns and convey that they were still awaiting a formal and satisfactory response from the authorities. Speaking about the protest, Aakash Divakaran, a second-year postgraduate student in anaesthesia at Andhra Medical College, said the rally was intended to communicate the doctors' demands directly to the government.
"Today, we conducted a beach rally to convey our motives to the government. This marks the 10th day of our strike, and the third day of suspending emergency services across all government medical colleges in Andhra Pradesh. We want the government to hear our motives and agendas, yet to date, we have not received a proper reply or response. We hope the government takes notice of our cause and responds accordingly," Aakash said.
Another protesting doctor, Utham, said the agitation could be intensified in the coming days if the government failed to address their concerns. He maintained that the doctors were continuing their protest peacefully and said their demands were related to the dignity and working conditions of medical professionals.
"This is Day 10 of our strike, and Day 3 of our cessation of all emergency services in hospitals. This problem hasn't been resolved in a peaceful or positive manner, and we can confirm with certainty that we are going to intensify this strike in the coming days," Utham said.
He stressed that the protest was not driven by political considerations but by concerns regarding the recognition and welfare of doctors working in government hospitals.
"We are doing this peacefully and honourably because this is not a question of any political or government issue; this is about the honour of every doctor who is serving until their backs break and remains dedicated to their profession. They deserve to be appreciated," he said.
The agitation intensified on Monday when junior doctors across government medical colleges and hospitals in Andhra Pradesh boycotted emergency services, intensive care units (ICUs) and operation theatres as their strike entered its eighth day.
The suspension of services affected several areas of medical care, including maternal and paediatric services. Hospital administrations subsequently deployed senior faculty members and assistant surgeons to ensure that critical wards and essential services continued to function.
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The Andhra Pradesh Junior Doctors Association (APJUDA) has put forward several demands, with the proposed increase in stipends being one of the key issues. The association is seeking a 30 per cent hike in stipends, which it says has been pending since January 2026.
The junior doctors are also opposing a proposal to increase the retirement age of senior doctors from 62 to 65 years. According to the protesting doctors, the proposed change could affect opportunities for younger medical professionals and career progression within government medical institutions.
Another key demand concerns the recruitment of MSc and PhD candidates as assistant professors. The doctors have called for such appointments to be made strictly in accordance with the norms of the National Medical Commission (NMC).
The protesting doctors have urged the state government to address the demands and begin meaningful discussions with their representatives. They have maintained that a dialogue could help resolve the dispute and allow normal medical services to resume.
With the strike continuing, the doctors have indicated that they may intensify their agitation if there is no concrete response from the government. They have also reiterated that their protest would remain peaceful while seeking action on their demands.
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