Patients suffer as docs suspend OPD services
Health services remained completely paralysed in the government-run hospitals with the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) boycotting the outpatient department (OPD) services against the state government’s non-committal attitude to their demands.
Health services remained completely paralysed in the government-run hospitals with the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) boycotting the outpatient department (OPD) services against the state government’s non-committal attitude to their demands.
Patients visiting government hospitals in the state were a harried lot as doctors proceeded with their call for a complete suspension of OPDs for three days from Thursday.
The doctors began their next phase of agitation after they did not get a written assurance from the state government on fulfilling their demands in a meeting with the cabinet sub-committee on Wednesday. The protesting doctors had said that though the government had agreed to all of their demands, including restoration of the assured career progression (ACP) scheme but had not given a written assurance.
PCMSA state president Dr Akhil Sarin said they received a communication from the state government late Wednesday evening. “However, the communication did not conform to the actual proceedings of the meeting with the sub-committee and it had no mention about the sub-committee approving in-principle the reinstatement of the ACP,” Sarin said.
Around 2,500 government doctors are holding protests under the banner of the PCMSA to press for their demands, including reinstatement of the assured career progression (ACP) scheme and seeking adequate security measures for healthcare professionals.
The ACP scheme provides financial benefits and a higher pay scale to government employees.
The PCMSA had suspended OPD services for three hours — from 8 am to 11 am— from September 9 to 11 in all district, sub-divisional hospitals and community health centres.
The PCMSA said the protesting doctors will continue emergency services, post-mortem and medicolegal examinations.
“Notably, the number of doctors in the emergency wards will be doubled-tripled from Friday to ensure 24x7 uninterrupted emergency services, MCH services, emergency surgery, caesarean sections, medicolegal examinations, post-mortems and indoor admissions to all the patients visiting the hospital from Friday,” the PCMSA said.
According to reports, OPDs and OTs remained suspended in Jalandhar, Hoshiarpur, Bathinda and Amritsar with many patients, unaware of the strike, arriving at the hospital.
Some were seen waiting outside the registration counters, hoping the strike would end at 11 am.
“My daughter is suffering from high fever and is vomiting continuously but no doctors were available,” said Ranjit Kaur, a resident of Jyoti Chowk in Jalandhar city.
Dispensation of medicines and registration services also remain non-functional at Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital in Bathinda.
Patients, including the senior citizens, were seen waiting outside the OPD block of the Bathinda district hospital.
An 80-year-old Ruldu Ram from Jodhpur Pakhar from Maur tehsil in Bathinda who had come to see an orthopaedic surgeon for knee replacement, left frustrated.
“I was asked to meet the doctor with the medical reports. I spent ₹1,200 to hire a private car to visit the hospital as my poor knee condition does not allow me to board a bus. It was sad to find that doctors are not attending the sick,” he said.
A resident of Lehra Mohabbat Gurpinder Kaur, under treatment for arthritis, complained of the non-availability of medicines at the hospital store.
“I was given medicines for 10 days and the same was to be repeated on the doctor’s prescription. As the doctors are on strike, the medicine dispensation has also stopped. Doctors at the emergency also declined to attend and asked me to visit the OPD,” she added.
Patients at Jallianwala Bagh Memorial Civil Hospital in Amritsar were left dejected. “The doctor asked me to conduct an ultrasound today. I belong to a poor family and cannot afford the same at a private centre”, said 23-year-old Sunita Rani, who is pregnant.
Meanwhile, the patients and others who were to undergo scheduled surgeries were also a harried lot.
“I came from Lambra to consult a gynaecologist for my wife, who is 7 months pregnant but the staff told me to visit on next Monday,” said Gurdhian Singh in Jalandhar.
The PCMSA urged the government that the next meeting, scheduled for September 19, be advanced to this week.
(With inputs from HTC Bathinda, Amritsar and Jalandhar)