Strike hits health services in Fatehgarh Sahib district

Medical services in civil hospitals and dispensaries in the district were hit as doctors, on the call of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA), observed strike on Monday.

Long queues of patients were witnessed at hospitals as OPD services remained closed from 8 to 11 pm. The doctors distributed pamphlets among the patients to make them aware of their demands. The doctors said till the government accept their genuine demands, issue a notification regarding assured career progression (ACP) and security arrangements, the strike would continue.

Addressing the media, Dr Kanwarpal Singh Sandhu, president, and Dr Amrinderpal Singh, general secretary of the local unit of the PCMSA, said earlier the association had announced a complete shutdown till an indefinite period. However, after the appeal made by the Health Minister and inviting the association to hold a meeting with a sub-committee of the Cabinet, they decided to hold strike for three-hours only. They said the OPD will be closed for only half a day for the first three days being divided into three parts. If the government still does not come up with a solution, all services will be suspended from September 12 for the entire time in phase two.

Only emergency patients will be restored considering their need. If the demands were not met till September 16, all kinds of medico-legal services will also be suspended. They said without promotions doctors would leave the government hospitals. They said if Delhi and Haryana could provide the ACP, why not Punjab? Should the doctors of Punjab move to the adjacent state?, they questioned.

They female doctors also expressed their concern over the issue of security after a pregnant doctor was attacked while on duty in Mohali.