Services hit in government hospitals as doctors go on strike in Panchkula
250 doctors of government hospitals in Panchkula observed a total shutdown of health services, including OPD, emergency and post-mortem
To press their long-pending demands, 250 doctors of government hospitals in Panchkula observed a total shutdown of health services, including OPD, emergency and post-mortem, on Thursday, crippling the health services in the district.
On the call of Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS), the nursing officers working at the civil hospital in Sector 6 also joined the protest for two hours to press their demands of nursing allowance of ₹7,200 and recognition of nurses as group-B employees.
Long queues of patients were seen in outpatient departments (OPDs) of district hospital, where over 300 patients visit the hospital’s OPD daily. “There is no doctors and even slips are not being made,” said Reena, of Sector 25, Panchkula, who had come to the hospital for checkup.
Sunita of Haripur village said, “I had come for gyn checkup but they say doctors are not available today so will have to come some other day.”
Though some patients in OPDs said they were attended by trainee doctors and interns. Panchkula civil surgeon Mukta Kumar, along with PMO Umesh Modi, inspected the emergency and OPDF. “We are trying to ensure that no patient returns without treatment from the civil hospital,” Kumar added.
The demands of doctors include the formation of a specialist cadre, a career progression scheme, seeking to address the issue of direct recruitment of senior medical officers (SMOs) and reduction of the bond amount for postgraduate courses.