PGIMS deploys 51 resident doctors in 3 districts to ensure smooth services

To ensure smooth patient care during the strike, the PGIMS authorities deployed 51 senior and junior resident doctors to three districts, including Bhiwani, Charkhi Dadri and Rohtak.

“Following directives from the state authorities, we have provided 15 senior and junior resident doctors each to Bhiwani and Charkhi Dadri, while 21 have been sent to Rohtak district in view of the doctors’ strike,” Dr Kundan Mittal, Medical Superintendent at PGIMS, told The Tribune.

Healthcare services largely remained unaffected at government hospitals and health centres in the district on Monday, the first day of the two-day strike called by the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA).

The association is protesting to press for demands, including halting the direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers and issuing a notification for the already approved modified assured career progression (ACP) structure.

Significantly, district health authorities and HCMSA representatives differed sharply in their claims about the strike’s scale.

Dr Ramesh Chander, Civil Surgeon, said that only 23 out of 147 medical officers were on strike on the first day. “The striking MOs are posted at healthcare centres falling under the Madina, Lakhan Majra and Kiloi blocks. A total of 56 doctors are deputed at the Civil Hospital in Rohtak, and all of them were on duty on Monday,” he added.

However, Dr Vishwajit, district president of the HCMSA, claimed that more than 60 per cent of medical officers in the district had joined the strike on the first day. “Around 10 doctors remained on strike at the Civil Hospital. All HCMS doctors will be on strike on the second day, Tuesday,” he asserted.

Meanwhile, Deputy Commissioner Sachin Gupta inspected the Civil Hospital on Monday. During the inspection, he reviewed the healthcare facilities and arrangements. He also interacted with the patients to gather feedback about their treatment.

He directed the Civil Surgeon to ensure strict compliance with the contingency arrangements that had been put in place so that essential health services, including OPD, IPD, emergency services, labour room, postmortem, MLC, critical surgeries, and all important diagnostic functions, continued to operate smoothly during the strike.

The DC said under no circumstances would patient care be allowed to be affected or adversely impacted due to any strike-related disruptions. He assured that the citizens would continue to receive the best possible healthcare services.