Health Dept workers protest privatisation

Tribune News Service

Bathinda, January 28

Members of various health workers’ unions staged a protest against the government decision to privatise health centres/ dispensaries. The protesters, including doctors from the district Health Department, gathered in front of the civil surgeon’s office and raised slogans against the state Health Department and the state government for allegedly taking the decision to privatise health services in the government sector.

Members of the Health Employees Association, the Medical Laboratory Technicians’ Association, the NHM Employees’ Association, the Health Department Clerical Employees’ Association and the Punjab State Pharmacists’ Association participated in the protest.

The protesters said the privatisation of health services would give a free-hand to private players to exploit people of the state.

Sukhmander Singh Sidhu, president, health employees’ association, said, “The state Health Department is running away from its responsibility of providing quality healthcare services to people. Giving it to private players would further deteriorate the quality of public healthcare services in rural areas. We vehemently oppose the decision of the state government to privatise rural as well urban health centres.”

Sidhu added, “If the government does not take its decision back, we will continue our protest.”

Representatives of different unions said a similar decision was taken by the state government when the charge of 1,186 dispensaries, being run in rural areas, was given to the Panchayati Department in 2006. As the decision adversely affected the medical services being rendered in rural areas of the state, it was revoked by the state government.