PCMS docs hold pen-down strike

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, December 23 

The Punjab Civil Medical Service (PCMS) specialist doctors today observed a two-hour pen-down strike in favour of Dr Sudha Vasudev, MD Psychiatry, who was arrested by the Jagraon police under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act on December 19. 

Patients visiting the Civil Hospital were left high and dry. “I came all the way from Doraha for my child’s check-up. I reached the hospital at around 12 pm. I was disappointed to know that 

doctors were not attending to patients. Now, I will have to visit a private clinic and shell out more money. It is not possible for me to come to Ludhiana every day,” said Ram Narayan, father of a 10-year-old child. 

Another patient said doctors should not go on strike as it could prove fatal for patients. “I was here to get myself examined. I have been suffering from high fever since last night. I have to return without getting any prescription,” said Vishnu Parsad, another patient.

Meanwhile, the PCMS doctors submitted a memorandum to the Deputy Commissioner and the Civil Surgeon in this regard. Dr Avinash Jindal, district president of the PCMS Specialist Doctors Association, said Dr Sudha is a qualified psychiatrist and in-charge of the de-addiction centre at the Civil Hospital. “She is well versed in the use of all de-addiction drugs. She is authorised to prescribe all these de-addiction drugs and has a valid licence,” said Dr Jindal.

He said: “If these medicines are given to patients at a de-addiction centre, these are stated to be good for de-addiction. However, the same medicines, if used at a private centre, are considered habit-forming drugs. It seems the fault lies in the government policy and the doctors are being harassed unnecessarily”.

Meanwhile, all private psychiatrists of the city have returned the entire stock of the buprenorphine (BPN) to the pharmaceutical companies after the arrest of Dr Sudha Vasudev. 

The Punjab and Chandigarh branch of the Indian Psychiatric Society (PUNCIPS) has also stopped prescribing the buprenorphine drug, the use of which is scientifically approved in treatment worldwide for patients who are addicted to opium, smack or heroin. 

“This medicine can be prescribed by indoor centres that have licence to run de-addiction centers. We demand from the government that it should allow the use of BPN in OPDs. We have started referring patients to the Civil Hospital at present. Eighty per cent of the addicts are treated at private centres and the government should understand this fact and allow the use of BPN in OPDs,” said a city-based psychiatrist, Dr Rajeev Gupta.