Change working hours, demand Rohtak PGIMS staff

Rohtak, April 12

The consultant doctors, paramedical staffers, other employees and students of Rohtak PGIMS are up in arms against a government order regarding uniform working hours at the institute throughout the year.

In a recent office order, the PGIMS Director had changed the timings of OPDs and other facilities at the institute in view of the summer season as per the usual practice.

As per the office order, the working hours were fixed from 8 am to 2 pm with effect from April 1.

However, on April 2, the Directorate of Medical Education and Research (DMER), Haryana, shot off a communique to the directors of Rohtak PGIMS as well as the other government medical colleges in the state, asking them to fix uniform working hours from 9 am to 4 pm. throughout the year.

On April 3, the PGIMS Director issued a fresh order for reverting to the old timings in supersession of his earlier orders and in compliance with the DMER directions.

This triggered protests by the doctors, nurses, employees and students at the institute, who maintained that the timings would be unsuitable for the patients as well as the doctors and other staff members due to intense heat during the summers.

The protesting doctors and other staffers have now sought an appointment with Haryana Health Minister Dr Kamal Gupta. “Until we are called for talks or the orders are withdrawn, we will continue to protest by wearing black bands while working,” said Vikas Phogat, joint secretary of the committee.