More pain for patients as OPD services stay suspended all day
Even as doctors at government hospitals have been on protest for the last four days, Thursday was a particularly tough day for the patients as the Outpatient Department (OPD) services remained suspended for the entire day.
Earlier, doctors had been boycotting OPD for three hours daily which meant that patients were able to avail medical consultations during the second half. However, on Thursday, OPD services remained unavailable for the entire day and patients had to return without getting medical treatment.
Joginder Kaur, a visitor, said that she came to the hospital along with her pregnant daughter-in-law only to find that the doctors were on strike. She said that most people like her cannot avail costly medical services offered by private clinics and hospitals.
Another patient, Sunita Rani, said, “I do not know what the doctors are demanding but all I know is that I have been coming for the last three days. On the first day, after the doctor prescribed some tests, I went to a lab but by the time I reached there, it was closed. The next day, I managed to get the test reports and now I have come to show these reports to the doctor.” She said that as the OPD was closed, she did not know whom to show these reports.
Dr Sumitpal Singh, president of the Amritsar chapter of Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), said, “The government is dilly-dallying and is not serious about the problems being faced by doctors as well as patients.” He said that the PCMSA regrets the inconvenience being caused to the general public. “But we had no other option. We have been forced to hold this protest. If the government was concerned, it should have followed all rules and regulations regarding promotion of employees,” he said.
Dr Madhur Poddar, general secretary, said, “We are running all emergency services even now. Even emergencies surgeries are being conducted.” Dr Poddar said that the association would also boycott medico-legal examinations if the government failed to consider their demands. He said that demands regarding assured career progression (ACP) and security at workplace are non-negotiable. “We have made it clear to the government that the protest would continue till these demands are accepted,” he said.
