Health services paralysed in Hoshiarpur as doctors protest

Hoshiarpur, November 15

The services at health centres across the district were disrupted today as doctors and other health workers staged a dharna, demanding the arrest of the accused. The emergency services were, however, not affected by the protests.

Cops shielding accused

The police are trying to shield the accused. Until the accused are arrested and booked under the Punjab Protection of Medicare Service Personnel Act, the agitation will continue. — Dr Swati, Civil Hospital SMO

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Complaint against docs too

A counter complaint has also been filed by both the accused against the doctors at the hospital. They have accused the doctors and the hospital staff of manhandling them. — Balwinder Singh, Model Town SHO

Doctors demanded that a case be registered against the accused under the Medicare Services Protection Act.

Even though the Model Town Police booked two persons later for misbehaving with doctors at the Hoshiarpur Civil Hospital yesterday, the protesters termed the action indequate.

Addressing a press conference organised by the doctors, Civil Hospital SMO Dr Swati stated that the action taken by the police was inadequate. She also accused the police of trying to shield the accused. She warned that until the accused are arrested, and a case is registered against them under the Punjab Protection of Medicare Service Personnel and the Medicare Services Institutions Act, the agitation would continue.

She said, “If the police do not fulfil our demand, then a state-level agitation will be launched. And the district police administration will bear all the responsibility for that.”

SMO Dr Jaswant Singh Thind, other doctors and members of the Staff Nurses Association protested against the police administration for not taking appropriate action against the accused.

The IMA (Indian Medical Association) has expressed its support for the doctors. The district president of the association — Dr Rajesh Mehta and General Secretary Dr Balwinderjit Singh have stated that the police administration has failed to take adequate action in the matter.

Meanwhile, after the mounting pressure from protesting doctors, the Model Town police booked Tarsem Deewana and Ashwini Kumar Sharma on a complaint filed by SMO Dr Swati. A case has been registered under Sections 353, 186, 506 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code.