OPD hit as doctors go on strike for second time this week in Haryana

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 29

OPD services were partially hit across Haryana as Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS) doctors went on strike for the second time this week.

Strike put off till January 1

After meeting with Director General of Health Services (DGHS) on Friday night, HCMS Association decided to call off their strike till January 1 when a meeting with Health Minister Vij would take place. The government has agreed to accept most of the demands of the association. "We have called off the strike till January 1," said HCMS Association president Dr Rajesh Khyalia.

In response to the strike, the Health Department today revoked all types of leave for doctors to ensure continuous medical services.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Anil Vij said that 3,000 doctors, including consultants, senior consultants, NHM doctors, medical officers from medical colleges, and community health officers, were roped in to handle the crisis.

On Thursday evening, Director General of the Haryana Health Services Department, Dr Randeep Singh Poonia, convened a meeting with the HCMS Association. From the association, president Dr Rajesh Kumar and media coordinator Dr Amarjeet were present while state general secretary Dr Anil Yadav participated via WhatsApp call.

Various demands of the association such as the establishment of a specialist cadre, amendments to the PG policy, pay revisions and halting direct recruitment of SMOs were discussed.

As per the government statement, the association’s office-bearers were informed that the specialist cadre has been approved, direct recruitment of SMOs is not underway and plans are in place to promote 100 medical officers to SMO positions. Additionally, the state government is considering pay revisions and PG policy amendments.

Even then, the association went on strike, but committed to maintaining emergency services.

Gurugram: Those with scheduled surgeries in Gurugram were left in the lurch today. Gurugram Civil Hospital in Sector 10 caters to entire rural Gurugram and even gets patients from Rewari and Nuh. Patients claimed they had no prior intimation about the strike and were hassled at the last moment.

Hisar: The medical services remained largely unaffected in Hisar town though services at the primary health centres in the district were hit as about 126 medical officers out of 177 and 13 SMOs out of 15 remained on strike.

Civil Surgeon Dr Sapna Gahlot informed that they had made alternative arrangements by roping in medical officers through the National Health Mission (NHM) at the civil hospitals and other CHCs and PHCs in the district. Principal Medical Officer Ratna Bharti said that 657 patients were attended to in the OPD in Civil Hospital in Hisar today while the services in the emergency ward, operation theatre and other services functioned smoothly.

Faridabad: The impact of the doctors’ strike in the district today was marginal as all the emergency and essential services were on as usual. As many as 97 out of the total 127 doctors posted in government and civil hospitals in the district attended to their duties, according to Health Department officials.

Dr Vinay Gupta, Chief Medical Officer, said as only 30 doctors had taken mass leave on Friday, it hardly had any effect on routine work in the civil hospital and the Health Department.

Jhajjar: OPD services were affected in government-run hospitals in the district following the strike. However, emergency services remained unaffected as an adequate number of doctors were deputed.

Rohtak: No considerable effect of the HCMS doctors’ strike was seen at government hospitals in Rohtak today. OPDs, emergency services, labour room and post-mortem services functioned as usual.

Panipat/Sonepat: Medical services were partially hit at Panipat and Sonepat government hospitals today.

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