Civil Hospital OPD services hit as doctors stage protest

Patients at the Civil Hospital were left waiting as doctors observed a two-hour pen-down strike from 9 am to 11 am, following directives from the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association.

During the protest, doctors held a sit-in within hospital premises, objecting to the government’s recent policy permitting direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs). They argued that the move threatens the seniority-based promotion system and career progression for existing medical staff.

Notably, the association has announced that the State Action Committee will meet on November 30 to decide the next course of action. Officials warned that if the government does not respond to their demands before then, the committee may escalate the protest, including the possibility of a full-day strike.

The protesting doctors’ key demands include halting direct recruitment of SMOs and implementing a revised Assured Career Progression (ACP) structure to safeguard career advancement within the medical cadre.