Doctors’ strike hits services across Punjab

Medical services across the state were hit as work at the out-patient departments (OPDs) remained suspended for the first part of the day at all public health centres on Monday in response to a strike call given by the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) in support of its demands.

Emergency services and intensive care units, however, remained functional. Over 2,500 doctors went on three-hour strike to press for their demands that included restoration of the assured career progression scheme (ASP) and security measures at health institutions.

Elective or scheduled surgeries, medical examination for driving, arms licences and recruitments were among the services that were hit. VIP duties, dope tests, meetings, reports, enquiries and “kayakalp” assessments also remained suspended.

The strike, however, did not impact services such as post-mortem and medico-legal examinations, court evidence, judicial medical examinations and dispensing daily doses at outpatient opioid treatment centres.

On August 25, the PCMSA had given a call for the closure of OPD services from September 9 to 11, but in view of the persistent insistence by the state government to “moderate” the call for a few days to buy time for discussions with the Finance Department, it decided to close OPDs for the first half of the day only.

The second phase of the strike, planned from September 12 onwards, might witness a complete closure of OPDs and suspension of related services, according to a statement issued by the association on Monday.

A meeting between the PCMSA and the Cabinet sub-committee headed by Fiancé Minister Harpal Cheema is scheduled for September 11.

The PCMSA has said that the demand for reinstatement of the ACP was non-negotiable and would serve as the pivot around which the whole struggle would revolve, as it aimed at merely restoring the routine, regular salary of the medical officers. It did not involve any new allowance or emoluments and had been part of the regular pay since the inception of the cadre.

The association reiterated that until their demands, specifically the ACP and security arrangements for health care staff, materialised through the required notifications, the call for the indefinite suspension of services from September 9 would continue.

Last week, the talks between the PCMSA and the government had ended in a deadlock. Even meetings of the association representatives with Health Minister Balbir Singh had remained inconclusive.

According to the PCMSA, the current number of doctors in the state is 2,800 against the sanctioned strength of 4,600. Safety is also a major issue, with many primary health centres and community health centres operating without any security guard.