Health care in city set to take a hit, courtesy strike calls

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, August 31

The health care system in the city is set to be hit in the wake of a series of strike calls given by health care professionals. While radiologists are going on an indefinite nationwide strike tomorrow, ESIC nurses are set to follow suit on September 2.

Radiologists to go on nationwide strike today

Patients, especially pregnant women and accident victims visiting the private health care sector, are set to face difficulties in availing of diagnostic services as city radiologists have decided to join the indefinite nationwide strike of the Indian Radiological and Imaging Association (IRIA) from tomorrow. The radiologists are protesting against the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, 1994.

As the strike will paralyse diagnostic services in the private sector, patients will have to approach the already jam-packed government hospitals, which are expected to witness additional rush of patients owing to the strike.

“The work in government hospitals will remain unaffected. Doctors have given us an assurance. We are all geared up to tackle the extra rush of patients. Every patient will be provided services,” said Dr Vanita Gupta, Director, Health Services, UT.

As part of the strike, radiologists will shut all radiology services such as X-ray, CT scan, MRI, interventional radiological facility and sonography across India. From the subsequent day, all sonography machines will be indefinitely shut to demand amendment to certain clauses of the PCPNDT Act.

ESIC nurses to go on indefinite strike tomorrow

The Chandigarh ESIC Nurses Welfare Union has decided to express solidarity with the All-India Government Nurses Federation (AIGNF) and go on an indefinite strike on September 2 against the "retrograde" recommendation of the Seventh Pay Commission.

Giving details, Sapna Thakur, general secretary of the union, said the AIGNF had given several representations to the Government of India, seeking modifications in the pay commission, but to no avail. She said the nurses were protesting against the recommended starting grade pay of Rs 4,600, instead of Rs 5,400 for nurses.

According to the union, the Seventh Pay Commission has also not recommended a risk allowance, night allowance and non-practising allowance for the nurses. 

The nurses are also demanding full pay for childcare leave and a conveyance allowance, increase in uniform allowance, higher education allowance, special area allowance and mobile and newspaper allowance.

“The Centre will be responsible for the inconvenience caused to the patients due to the strike,” Thakur said.