The out-patient department (OPD) services at all government hospitals and health centres across the state, barring Ambala, remained shut on Wednesday, as doctors affiliated to Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA) observed a one-day work suspension in support of their pending demands.
Patients faced the brunt of the strike as they were deprived of all OPD medical services across the state.
Saroj Bala, a resident of Indri in Karnal said that she travelled for over 20 kilometers in chilling cold to consult a doctor at district civil hospital and had to leave back unattended due to the strike.
Similar situation was witnessed at Rohtak, Sonepat, Bhiwani and other districts of South Haryana belt. However, there was no impact of the strike in Ambala, home district of health minister Anil Vij.
Dr Sangeeta Goyal, principal medical officer, Ambala district civil hospital said, “No doctor observed strike here and all routine OPDs services were conducted at our hospital. A notice was already issued that if any doctor goes on strike, a departmental action will be taken against them.”
HCMSA president Dr Rajesh Khyalia, however, claimed that the strike was successful and said, “If demands are not met, the body is also likely to observe a total shut down of all the health services including emergency services for an indefinite period from December 29.”
{{/usCountry}}HCMSA president Dr Rajesh Khyalia, however, claimed that the strike was successful and said, “If demands are not met, the body is also likely to observe a total shut down of all the health services including emergency services for an indefinite period from December 29.”
{{/usCountry}}Dr Deepak Goyal, state treasurer of the body said that there is a dearth of specialist doctors in the state and some districts don’t have even a single specialist of a particular category.
Vij terms strike “unjustified”
Reacting on the strike, Minister Vij said that the strike failed, with only 931 of total 3466 medical officers and senior medical officers (26.86%) participating.
He said that the strike was unjustified since their main demand for approval of the specialist cadre has been approved by the CM already.
Additionally, he informed that the additional chief secretary, health, has approved the demand related to the PG Policy, and the process is ongoing. Similarly, the process for the direct recruitment of senior medical officers (SMOs) is underway.
“Most of the demands of the doctors have been acknowledged. Doctors were invited for discussions today, but their representative body did not attend,” the minister said in a statement.
The HCMSA president Dr Rajesh, however, denied any intimation of such meeting.
Meanwhile, opposition parties expressed their support to the doctors. Former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, in a statement, said that the government was adopting a lax attitude towards doctors and there should be no delay in talks with the striking doctors.
The director general of health services (DGHS) wrote to additional chief secretary (ACS), health, on Wednesday, seeking decision on the case files related to “payment of better salary” and “special allowances” to be given by the government to HCMSA doctors, as per notification of August 30, 2017.