Health services in Rajindra Hospital were again hit on Sunday after the protesting paramedics locked the OPD building and operation theatres (OTs) for the second time during the past three weeks over their regularisation demand.
The protesters also blocked the main Patiala-Sangrur road for over one hour, creating huge inconvenience to the commuters. They raised slogans against the state government and alleged that the government was backing out from its promises to harass them.
Nurses and Ancillary Staff Union president Karamjit Kaur said that in a meeting with medical education secretary Vikas Partap last week, they were assured that the government would finalise the policy of their regularisation within 10 days. “As nothing happened during that period, we are again forced to take extreme step for the sake of our families,” Kaur said.
She further said, “Now we have decided to block the OPD and OTs indefinitely till the notification of our regularisation was issued”.
“We are being paid mere Rs 10,000-Rs 11,000 per month, which is not enough to feed our family. Initially, both departments have been locked, but if they did not heed us, we will intensify the struggle and all gates of the hospital will be locked after Monday,” said, Sandeep Kaur, another agitator.
{{/usCountry}}“We are being paid mere Rs 10,000-Rs 11,000 per month, which is not enough to feed our family. Initially, both departments have been locked, but if they did not heed us, we will intensify the struggle and all gates of the hospital will be locked after Monday,” said, Sandeep Kaur, another agitator.
{{/usCountry}}Tehsildar, Harsimaran Singh, met the protesters and tried to convince them not to block the OPD and OT services, but the protesters refused to open both services. He said, “We are aware of their demand and efforts are on at the department-level. I will discuss the matter with the deputy commissioner and try to open both services on Monday.”
Medical superintendent BS Brar said, “The district administration would look into the matter, but we are also trying that OPD and OT services remain open on Monday.”