Goa doctors call off the State-wide strike and protest against State Health Minister  

Goa doctors call off strike after meeting with CM Sawant, ensuring patient care and addressing grievances.

After a meeting held late in the evening on Tuesday (June 11, 2025), with the Chief Minister Pramod Sawant, the Goa Association of Resident Doctors (GARD) said that they have unanimously decided to call off the impending statewide strike. 

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GARD represents the unified voice of resident doctors across the State. Dr. Aayush Sharma, president of GARD, said that this decision was made in the paramount interest of public health and to prevent any disruption to patient care.   

“We wish to reiterate that our commitment to our patients remains our foremost priority, contrary to any insinuations from third parties. We have chosen the path of dialogue and de-escalation to ensure that vital healthcare services for the Goan public continue uninterrupted,” Dr. Sharma said.  

At a meeting with the Goa Medical College and Hospital (GMCH) Dean Dr. Shivanand M. Bandekar, medical superintendent Dr. Rajesh T. Patil and members of GARD and doctors from GMCH, the Goa CM requested doctors to withdraw their strike and assured no repercussion or action will be false against any doctors due to the incident.  

In the meeting, the CM mentioned that a public apology has already been given by the Health Minister, Vishwajit Rane, in the regional and national news channels and that should suffice. However, the Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Dr. Rudresh Kurtikar, who was abused by the minister on June 7, insisted for a public apology at the same casualty ward.  

But later the doctors said that it was decided that such a demand cannot be made as a government officer cannot ask a minister to come over to his office and apologise. “This is not about the minister in power abusing publicly to Dr. Kurtikar, but it is about the insult of the chair and the way government doctors are treated by the people in power,” the doctors’ association said.