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Assault on SMO: PCMS association gives call for statewide strike tomorrow
As per the notice issued by state president Akhil Sareen, all OPD services, elective surgeries, dope tests meetings and office work would remain suspended during the strike
: The PCMS Association has given a call for statewide strike in all government-run health centres on April 22 to protest against assault on Sunil Bhagat, senior medical officer (SMO) posted at ESI Hospital, Hoshiarpur.
As per the notice issued by state president Akhil Sareen, all OPD services, elective surgeries, dope tests meetings and office work would remain suspended during the strike. The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has also supported the call.
The SMO was allegedly pushed by a patient’s attendant who had created ruckus in the hospital over some issue. The accused, Priya Ranjan, had reportedly gone to the hospital on Thursday to get his mother’s medical report where he had an argument with a staff member. He went to report the matter to senior officials and started making a video, which annoyed the health staff. In the ensuing scuffle, he pushed SMO Dr Sunil Bhagat to the ground. The SMO fell unconscious and was rushed to a nearby private hospital but when he did not regain consciousness, he was referred to the Dayanand Medical College and Hospital, Ludhiana. Dr Bhagat’s condition is still stated to be critical.
IMA district president Balwinderjit Singh said that the call for the state-level strike was given to draw government’s attention to the rising incidents of manhandling of doctors and other health workers.
“If adequate security arrangements are not made at health centres, we will be constrained to intensify our struggle after the model code of conduct,” he added.
Meanwhile the accused, who was arrested by the police on Friday, was sent to judicial custody.
