Telangana doctors threaten strike over GOMs No. 229 diluting TGMC autonomy

A confrontation has erupted between the Telangana government and the medical fraternity over G.O.Ms.No.229, which expands the Telangana Medical Council by adding four ex-officio members. Doctors’ associations, including HRDA and TJUDA, allege the move undermines elected representatives and paves the way for bureaucratic dominance, crippling the council’s anti-quackery drive.

Hyderabad: A critical confrontation, which could potentially lead to a major health strike in Telangana, has erupted between the State government and the Telangana medical fraternity following the issuance of a government order (G.O.Ms.No. 229), which effectively seeks to dilute the autonomy of the Telangana Medical Council (TGMC) and check its fight against quackery in Telangana.

The controversial G.O. expands the TGMC from 25 to 29 members by nominating four additional ex-officio members. Medical bodies, including the Healthcare Reforms Doctors Association (HRDA) and the Telangana Junior Doctors Association (TJUDA), TGMC and senior doctors, assert that this ‘artificial’ expansion pushes elected representatives into a minority.

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Senior doctors warned the State government that bureaucratic takeover of TGMC will paralyse the council’s ability to adjudicate professional misconduct and cripple its robust anti-quackery drive. This move places a statutory regulatory body like TGMC under the dominance of non-medical bureaucrats and IAS officers, in direct violation of the Telangana Medical Practitioners Registration Act, 1968.

The TJUDA and HRDA have issued an ultimatum demanding the immediate withdrawal of the G.O. and the restoration of the council’s democratic balance. Citing the move as ‘anti-doctor and anti-public health’, the associations have vowed to pursue all legal and constitutional remedies, warning of statewide protests if the government does not reverse its decision.

The TJUDA has warned that if the GO is not rescinded, they will be forced to launch a statewide strike, potentially paralysing healthcare services across all government hospitals. They argue that the inclusion of non-medical personnel in a body meant to oversee complex clinical standards and professional conduct is not only untenable but a direct threat to the sanctity of the patient-doctor relationship.

The medical fraternity from Telangana has also appealed to the National Medical Commission (NMC) to intervene, asserting that state-level bureaucratic overreach could set a dangerous precedent for medical governance across the country.