Docs threaten to shut services from Sept 14

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, July 20

The Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS) Association of government doctors today threatened to go on a two-hour pen-down strike from September 11, shutdown of OPD services from September 13 and complete shutdown of health services from September 14, if their demands were not met.

The association has alleged that despite a commitment by the political leadership, bureaucratic hurdles were not letting issues relating to them resolved.

Dr Rajesh Sheokan, general secretary of the association, said a general body meeting of the organisation was held today at Rohtak where strong resentment was expressed over the “insensitive and callous” attitude of the state government towards their demands.

“There is an acute shortage of specialist doctors in the government sector in Haryana. As per a recent survey of the Central government, new doctors are not joining government services. Almost all states are having reservation for in-service doctors in postgraduate courses but last year, not a single doctor from Haryana could get into MD/MS through the HCMS quota,” alleged Dr Jasbir Singh Parmar, president of the association.

The association said to attract and retain specialist doctors, the government must fulfil the already accepted demands of incentives to specialist doctors.

The doctors have demanded that since there were lesser promotional avenues, there should be a time-bound change of designation after 10 years of service.