Docs on strike for 3 days due to non-payment of salaries

PITHORAGARH : Medical services in the area remained affected and patients from remote areas of Lohaghat subdivision of Champawat district coming for treatment have to return disappointed, as doctors in the hospital at Lohaghat being run on the public private partnership (PPP) mode continued their strike for the third day today in support of their demand for payment of salary of September.

BD Kasniyal

Pithoragarh , December 1

Medical services in the area remained affected and patients from remote areas of Lohaghat subdivision of Champawat district coming for treatment have to return disappointed, as doctors in the hospital at Lohaghat being run on the public private partnership (PPP) mode continued their strike for the third day today in support of their demand for payment of salary of September. “We want our salaries to be paid before fifteenth of next month,” said a doctor, who has come from the Sheel Hospital, Bareilly, which is running the Lohaghat hospital under the PPP mode.

Besides the doctors, the paramedical staff of the hospital are also on strike demanding a salary hike. “The management has not increased our wages for the last two years after the hospital was handed over to the private party under the PPP mode,” said a paramedical worker.

Dr Manjit Singh, Chief Medical Superintendent of the Lohaghat hospital, said he along with his team was treating patients at the hospital after the doctors went on strike. “My team of doctors, including Dr RK Gupta, Dr Jitendra Joshi and Dr Nariyal, is treating patients after doctors employed under the PPP mode went on strike on Saturday last,” said Dr Manjit Singh.

According to sources in the Sheel Hospital, the disbursement of salaries to the staff has been delayed as the state government has not made payment of bills submitted to it. “As soon the government clears the bills, the hospital management will pay the salaries of the staff the next day,” said Manish Vaishnav, manager, Sheel Hospital, Bareilly.

Dr Manjit Singh said he had written a letter to the Health Directorate informing it about frequent strikes by doctors employed under the PPP mode and difficulties being faced by local people in getting proper treatment. “We have also informed the Health Directorate that we have taken effective steps to minimize the effects of the strike by the hospital staff and are doing our best to treat patients from remote areas of the district,” said Dr Vinod Tolia, Chief Medical Officer, Champawat.