Patients left high and dry as doctors’ strike enters 2nd day in Ludhiana

The strike was observed under the banner of the Joint Punjab Government Doctors’ Coordination Committee, which is led by PCMSA; protesters say the strike on Friday was primarily against the transfer of Ankhi to Fazilka;

Medical services, barring emergency and Covid-related services, remained suspended on Thursday for the second consecutive day after doctors in state-run hospitals continued their strike against the recommendation of the sixth pay commission to de-link non-practising allowance (NPA) from basic pay and the transfer of Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) Bathinda unit president Gurmail Ankhi amid statewide protests.

However, the sixth pay commission, which aims to better doctors’ pay scale, had reduced the component to 20% of their basic salary and had de-linked NPA from basic pay, which will hit their salary and pension benefits. (HT Photo)

The strike was observed under the banner of the Joint Punjab Government Doctors’ Coordination Committee, which is led by PCMSA. Services such as outpatient departments (OPDs), inpatient departments (IPDs), unique IDs for persons with disabilities (UDID), Ayushman Bharat - Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana (AB-SSBY) and elective surgeries among others remained suspended as around 400 doctors employed at the civil hospitals in Ludhiana, Khanna and Jagraon, and 10 community health centres suspended work.

Protesters said NPA comprised 25% of their basic salary. However, the sixth pay commission, which aims to better doctors’ pay scale, had reduced the component to 20% of their basic salary and had de-linked NPA from basic pay, which will hit their salary and pension benefits.

PCMSA member Dr Rohit Rampal said the strike on Friday was primarily against the transfer of Ankhi to Fazilka. “Health minister Balbir Singh Sidhu on Friday assured a PCMSA delegation that both issues will be resolved, and the NPA issue could be resolved as early as Tuesday, after which we resumed work. However, doctors will continue wearing black batches until the demands are actually fulfilled.”

Meanwhile, patients continued to be on the receiving end as they were denied treatment for the second consecutive day. Umesh of Dhandari Kalan, who had come to the civil hospital in Ludhiana for treatment, said, “I met with an accident a few days ago and suffered an injury on my left leg. I noticed that the area around the wound was infected and came to get it checked out but I was told to come another day due to the doctors’ strike. It is difficult for me to visit the hospital again and again with an injured leg.”

A social worker at the hospital, Gurpreet Singh said the doctors’ strike at the civil hospital was only affecting the poor stratum of society, which could not afford to visit private practices at a time when the public is already bearing the brunt of the pandemic. Though Covid related services were not suspended, the visitors faced a lot of harassment,” he said.