Kerala medicos end protest after government assurances (Lead)

Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 6: After their day-long token protest and the state health department assurances that their demands would be looked into, protesting doctors and medical students called off their indefinite strike here Monday.

Doctors, graduate and post-graduate medical students were demanding a hike in their stipend and repeal of the compulsory bond that requires them to work in government service in rural areas for three years.

After a marathon two-hour long discussion with the protesters, it was decided that the government will issue a new order at the earliest in view of the medicos' demands.

"The minister (P.K. Sreemathi) has agreed to reduce the compulsory rural service from three years to one year and also changed the stipulations in the bond agreement. Since the government has consented to our demands, we will not go ahead with an indefinite protest," said one of the prosesters.

In Kerala, medical students constitute the majority of the real workforce in medical colleges, with vacancies of doctors remaining unfilled.

--IANS