Rohtak PGIMS doctors up in arms over common cadre, addl duties

Ravinder Saini

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, August 12

The creation of common cadre for all A, B, C and D group employees, online transfer policy framed by the state and additional duties assigned by office of Director (Medical Education and Research) (DMER) to faculty members of pre and para-clinical departments at clinical wards and trauma centre at the PGIMS have forced doctors to adopt the way of agitation.

PGIMS doctors under the aegis of the Haryana State Medical Teachers Association (HSMTA) today announced to wear black badges from August 16 and observe token strike on August 19 to register their protest against the issues. They also threatened to go on indefinite strike if their demands are not met soon.

Significantly, the HSMTA has also got the support of UHS Non-Teaching Employees Association, Nursing Association and Resident Doctors Association.

“We strongly condemn the creation of a common cadre for online transfer as it will revoke the autonomous status of the university. The transfer of doctors and other paramedical staffers to other institutions will not only hamper the functioning of the PGIMS and UHS but also affect the healthcare of patients. This is a planned conspiracy to demolish the medical education structure in the state,” said Dr RB Jain, chief, HSMTA, adding that transfer would also complicate the issues of teaching, training and research.

Dr Jain said the DMER office’s recent order assigning additional duties to teachers of various pre and para-clinical departments to various clinical departments had further fuelled the resentment among doctors. “The duty of pre and para-clinical departments is looking after MBBS, BDS, nursing, physiotherapy and many other allied courses and not working at clinical departments.”

Meanwhile, Jan Swasthya Abhiyan, a network of many outfits engaged in health awareness and advocacy, has also termed the DMER office order as illogical and violation of the rules.