Row over NPA: Senior docs join stir; Monday shutdown in Patiala, Amritsar govt hospitals

Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association, has declared total shut down of OPD and operation theatre services in Government Medical and Dental Colleges in Patiala and Amritsar on Monday, along with teaching of dental students for the entire day

Patiala Medical and dental college doctors and faculty members continued their protest against the state government’s acceptance of the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission on Saturday. Their major demand is restoring the Non-Practise Allowance (NPA) to its previous levels and re-link it again with basic pay.

Doctors raising slogans during a protest against 6th pay Commission panel recommendations in Amritsar. (HT File)

Faculty members from Chest and TB hospital and paediatric department of the medical college also staged a three-hour protest as part of their indefinite protest at the Rajindra Hospital.

Twenty renowned senior doctors, including former director, research and medical education, Punjab, Dr Ajmer Singh and renowned city physician Dr Janak Sachdeva have come out in support of protesting doctors. They even joined their protest. Meanwhile, Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association, has declared total shut down of OPD and operation theatre services in Government Medical and Dental Colleges in Patiala and Amritsar on Monday, along with teaching of dental students for the entire day. The dental faculty has also decided not to do any administrative duties and will organise a protest rally.

Dr DS Bhullar, state general secretary, PSMDTA, said, “The association has decided to intensify the agitation, if the NPA demand is not accepted by the government within the next week.”