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Panel formed in May to examine why doctors are quitting jobs yet to submit report: HCMS
The association observed a ‘black day’ as a mark of protest for their pending demands including the report and submitted memorandums to Members of Parliament, Member of Legislative Assemblies and deputy commissioners in almost all the districts of the state
A three-member committee formed by the Haryana health department in May, to examine why doctors are quitting jobs and was supposed to submit the report within a month, is yet to do so, Haryana civil medical services (HCMS) association said on Tuesday.
The association observed a ‘black day’ as a mark of protest for their pending demands including the report and submitted memorandums to Members of Parliament, Member of Legislative Assemblies and deputy commissioners in almost all the districts of the state.
If demands are not met, the body is also likely to shut OPDs in government health care institutions on December 27 and emergency services on 29th, president of HCMSA, Dr Rajesh Khyalia said.
Dr Rajesh, senior medical officer (SMO) in Pinjore, said that the committee, even after six months, is yet to submit its report. It shows the seriousness of the state government towards its doctors, he added.
Official documents show that on May 5, Dr G Anupama, additional chief secretary (ACS), health, observed that, “There is a rising trend of medical officers seeking VRS from government service. It has been desired to conduct a study to ascertain the reasons for such high resignation of officers in the health department.”
The committee that includes Yogesh Mehta, special secretary, health; Brahmdeep, chief medical officer, Jhajjar and Dr Nishikant, medical officer, was also supposed to make recommendations to be taken to retain selected officers in the HCMS cadre.
Sources in the health department believe that weeks after the order, Mehta, a HCS officer, was transferred and the matter was not taken up again.
The association met the ACS on December 14 to raise the issue, but the meeting remained inconclusive.
Officials said there was a dearth of specialist doctors in the state and some districts don’t have even a single specialist of a particular category and the patients are referred to other districts, where the doctors are then forced to resign or choose voluntary retirement.
Not only this, the HCMS association claims that as per the norms of the Indian Public Health Standards, a specialist doctor is supposed to examine 60 patients a day to provide quality services, but on the contrary, the doctors are examining over 200 patients a day.
Patients thus have to stand for hours and the doctor can only spare a minute or two for them. This is gross injustice and our purpose of providing quality health care is defeated, the association contends.
Dr Rajesh said, “Doctors are quitting due to overwork, getting only single promotion as they get appointed as medical officers yet majority of them retire as senior medical officers (SMOs), inappropriate working conditions, shortage of medicines, security issues at workplace, and for being denied status of a Class-I officer.”
