Hyderabad: There is growing discontent among the govt doctors in the state regarding the ongoing ban on transfers enforced by the state govt. These doctors, who also serve as professors, are urging the authorities to initiate a fresh round of transfers, particularly for those who have served in the districts and on the peripheries of Hyderabad for significantly longer than the mandated period of two years.They argue that the ban is indirectly affecting both medical education of PG students and patient care, as several posts for professors and associate professors remain vacant in prominent medical colleges such as Osmania, Gandhi, Kakatiya, GMC Nizamabad, among others.Last held in 2018 under BRSDuring the last round of doctor transfers in 2024, only 40% of eligible doctors were relocated. Prior to this, the last transfers occurred in 2018 under the BRS govt, when the cap on doctor transfers was reduced from 40% to 20%. However, this time, nearly 300 doctors based in peripheral districts are hoping the govt will allow a greater proportion of general transfers, enabling them to be posted in Hyderabad, the most sought-after district.Dr B Narahari, a senior paediatrician and professor, stated that while mandatory transfers (around 40%) were carried out last year around the time new medical colleges opened, many doctors stationed at district-level medical colleges have yet to be given an opportunity to relocate to Hyderabad.“Several doctors were posted to new medical colleges when they were first established. It has been quite some time now, and we are requesting the govt to lift the general transfer ban for all employees and reassign those who have been serving in the districts for an extended period to medical colleges in Hyderabad, such as Osmania, Gandhi, and other govt medical colleges,” said Dr Narahari, who also serves as President of the Telangana Government Doctors Association (TGGDA).As vacancies in Hyderabad’s medical colleges occur infrequently, the state capital is often inaccessible to experienced doctors from other districts who wish to work there long-term. “The positive news is that these colleges now have vacancies, which was not the case earlier. This provides an opportunity for everyone to serve in Hyderabad,” he added. A health department official noted that a fresh round of transfers is under consideration, and a decision will be made soon. “While some doctors in the districts are yet to be posted in Hyderabad, there are also many seeking transfers because they run private hospitals and clinics in the city. The process needs to be implemented fairly,” the health department official said.