Punjab Civil Medical Services Association doctors to go on indefinite strike on September 9

The doctors of Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) are geared up for their forthcoming strike on September 9. Since they have announced to go on an indefinite strike, it is expected to hamper the medical services in a big way in the state.

The doctors have announced to go on strike as their demands are not being met by the government for long.

They are making efforts so that patients know in advance about the strike and are hence distributing pamphlets mentioning their demands along with the OPD slips.

Moreover, they are personally intimating all patients being attended on September 6 and 7 of the possibility of a prolonged struggle that may lie ahead.

“Doctors are prescribing at least two to three weeks of medications to all OPD patients being attended on September 6 and 7, to help them tide over the period of indefinite suspension of services at all government hospitals of the state,” said PCMSA state president Akhil Sareen.

Doctors are also wrapping up all elective surgeries by September 8, as these services are likely to be indefinitely suspended on September 9, he added.

The unresolved issues of the doctors include stalled assured career progressions, pending sixth CPC arrears and security at workplace among other demands.

“The government health institutes in the state are working with half the capacity. In addition to seeing patients, the doctors are loaded with other responsibilities like VIP and emergency duties, and postmorterm and medico legal cases. There are 4,600 sanctioned posts of doctors in Punjab out of which 2,800 are lying vacant. Doctors in the government sector are overburdened and understaffed,” Akhil said.

Another major demand of the doctors includes 24x7 security at work places as they often have to bear the brunt of angry patients and their family members, he added.