Haryana doctors end strike, OPDs resume after 4 days

Doctors at government-run hospitals here resumed their duties on Monday after remaining on strike for four days, bringing relief to patients who had been facing difficulties in accessing healthcare.

Although doctors had resumed attending emergency cases from Saturday after observing a two-day complete strike, during which even emergency services were halted, OPD services remained suspended. With the strike now called off, OPDs have also resumed from Monday, restoring normal functioning at hospitals.

Doctors had gone on strike from Thursday following the alleged assault on Dr Prashant Chauhan, posted at the Gharaunda Community Health Centre (CHC), by Gharaunda SHO Deepak Kumar and other police personnel on the day of Holi. They had been demanding the registration of an FIR against the SHO and other police personnel allegedly involved in the case.

The SHO was earlier suspended by Superintendent of Police (SP) Narender Bijarniya. After the intervention of Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh and a meeting with office-bearers of the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA), six more security personnel, including an ASI, a constable and four Home Guards, have been suspended by the SP. Following this action, the doctors decided to call off their strike. Meanwhile, the DC has assigned an inquiry into the matter to the SDM, Gharaunda.

During the first two days of the strike, doctors had suspended all health services at government hospitals across the district, including emergency services, OPD consultations, laboratory testing, maternity care and post-mortem services. As a result, healthcare services came to a complete standstill, causing severe inconvenience to patients.

However, following a statewide call by the HCMSA to suspend only OPD services from March 7, doctors in Karnal resumed emergency services on Saturday while keeping OPDs closed, providing some relief to patients requiring urgent medical care.

Dr Sanjay Verma, president of the HCMSA, Karnal, said the association decided to call off the strike after the suspension of six more security personnel involved in the case.

He added that the family of Dr Prashant have decided to pursue legal action against the SHO and others.

“All health services are now running smoothly across the district,” he said.