Haryana: Doctors threaten to go on indefinite strike from today

Chandigarh, July 24

The government doctors have threatened to go on an indefinite strike from tomorrow, shutting down even emergency and post-mortem duties.

The doctors are demanding reduction in bond amount for postgraduation to Rs 50 lakh. Currently, a doctor must provide two sureties of Rs 1 crore each as part of the bond. The doctors’ association have pointed out that of the 3,900 posts of Medical Officer (MO), 1,100 are vacant (over 28 per cent). Out of 636 posts of Senior Medical Officer (SMO), 250 are vacant (close to 40 per cent), and out of eight posts of Director, five are lying vacant. Despite approval from the CM, the proposal for a specialist cadre has been stuck.

The association further said the file for the routine promotion of doctors from MO to SMO has been delayed for the past one and a half years, with doctors who joined as MOs in 2002 still awaiting promotion.

They are also seeking a hike in conveyance allowance from Rs 500 per month to Rs 3,000 per month.

In a press statement issued today, the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association said they had observed black day on July 1 (Doctors’ Day) and protested at the Director General of Health Services (DGHS) office on July 8. A two-hour pen-down strike was also observed on July 15.

A meeting of the HCMS association with ACS Health was held on July 18 and all demands were discussed in detail. Then a core committee meeting of the Association on July 23 had decided to proceed on strike.