Doctors call off strike after government agrees to their demands

The ongoing strike by doctors in Punjab has been withdrawn following the government accepting their demands that include restoration of the assured career progression scheme, security at healthcare establishments and filling up vacant medical posts.

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About 2,500 doctors were on half-day strike since September 9 in support of their demands, resulting in medical services in Punjab government-run establishments being hit.

A meeting to discuss the demands was held between Health Minister Dr Balbir Singh, government officials and representatives of the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) in Chandigarh today. Several such meetings had also been held in the recent past.

In a joint statement issued after the meeting, the government announced that all demands of PCMSA have been accepted.

It has been decided that the assured career progression scheme would unconditionally reinstated and implemented within the next 12 weeks. A security framework at all 24x7 healthcare centres of the state would be announced within one week and 400 posts of medical officers to be filled by next month.

Further, out-patient department (OPD) working hours would be extended by two hours over and above the routine schedule on the first two days of the next week to cater to the inconvenience caused to patients during the suspension of services.

PCMSA president Dr Akhil Sarin said the association welcomed the government’s pro-people decision and firmly believes that this will go a long way in the strengthening of the public healthcare system of the state.

Patients across Punjab were affected as work at OPDs remained suspended for the first part of the day at all public health centres in the state on since September 9 following a call for strike by the PCMSA in support of their demands.

Emergency services and intensive care units, however, continued uninterrupted. About 2,500 doctors went on the 3-hour strike over demands that included restoration of the assured career progression scheme (ASP) and security measures.

Elective or scheduled surgeries and trauma, medical examinations for driving, arms licenses and recruitment, VIP duties, dope tests, meetings, reports and enquiries were among the services that were hit, though emergency services, lifesaving surgeries, intensive care units and judicial matters continued uninterrupted.

On September 11, the Punjab government had agreed in principle to accept the doctors’ demands, but with written orders in this regard not being issued that day, PCMSA decided to extend their agitation with work being suspended for the full day.

In a statement issued late on September 13, PCMSA said that following the Chief Minister’s outreach, it had decided to moderate its strike call to half had and would hold talks with the finance department on September 14 to finalise the modalities.

The Deputy Commissioners of all districts also held detailed discussions with the association’s district heads as part of confidence building measures.