Patients left excessive and dry as docs cross on strike in Punjab.
KEY POINTS :
- Doctors have gone on strike in protest against the recommendation of the sixth pay commission of delinking non-practising allowance from basic pay.
- Patients omitted high and dry as doctors go on the revolution in Punjab.
Patients have been on the receiving give up as docs at authorities hospitals in Punjab boycotted paintings on Friday and held demonstrations against the advice of the 6th pay commission of delinking non-practising allowance (NPA) from simple pay.
Outpatient branch (OPD) services remained non-useful in most authorities hospitals as protesting medical doctors refused to attend to patients.
The call for the day-lengthy strike changed into given by way of the Joint Punjab Government Doctors Coordination Committee, which has individuals from the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association and is supported through the Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association, Punjab Medical Teachers Association, Rural Medical Officers Association, Punjab Dental Medical Officers Association and Punjab Ayurveda Officers Association.
Black badge protest at medical college in Faridkot
All OPDs in civil hospitals in Faridkot, Moga, Bathinda, Muktsar, Ferozepur and Fazilka districts remained closed. Patients ignorant of the strike reached hospitals handiest to return after waiting to be attended.
The OPD offerings at Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital in Faridkot become but useful. A few medical doctors of the clinical university did no longer join the protest, whilst others registered their protest via carrying black badges on duty.
Dr Shilekh Mittal, the medical superintendent of the clinical university and sanatorium, said: “There has been some effect on OPD services due to the strike; however, we are presenting treatment to all sufferers. We have scientific college students on obligation in conjunction with medical doctors, so patients are not facing any problem.”
Dr Chander Shekhar Kakkar, a senior vice-president of the PCMS Association, Punjab, stated that every OPDs were closed within the country to protest against the pay commission hints.
“If the state authorities do no longer take delivery of our needs, a selection may be taken after consulting affiliation individuals to scale up the protest by using remaining extra services on Monday. Our major demands are the healing of NPA, five% residence rent to medical doctors and higher education allowance to all doctors similarly,” he said.
“The clinical college is offering OPD services no matter the strike name. All scientific college doctors do not, without delay, come under the country health branch, and in addition, they have interns. But we are going to ask them to shut the OPD in help of the strike as this is a joint protest of doctors,” he said.
Emergency, Covid offerings unaffected
The OPD services besides instructional and administrative work remained suspended at Government Rajindra Hospital and dental college in Patiala.
Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association widespread secretary Dr DS Bhullar stated emergency and Covid-19 associated services are on, and these will not be affected due to the strike.
Rupinder Kaur, an affected person’s attendant, stated: “We have come for observe-up exams as my mother underwent surgery currently. Since the OPD services are unavailable, we were informed to visit some other day a subsequent week,” she stated.
