BHOPAL: OPD services across all government hospitals in Madhya Pradesh have been stalled on Friday as doctors staged an indefinite strik from Friday pressing their demands for pay revision and addressing discrepancies in promotion.
The protest began at Bhopal’s Gandhi Medical college, and was joined by over 10,000 doctors across Madhya Pradesh. A junior doctor in a media interaction said that medical services of not only district level hospitals but primary and community health centres in remote and rural areas will also remain suspended until the state government accepts their demands. Doctors have even threatened to stall operations of the Emergency services ahead if the govt did not pay attention to their demands
Earlier on Thursday, a delegation of doctors led by president of MP Teachers’ Association Dr Rakesh Malviya had met the minister pressing their demands. The delegation was adamant on immediate resolution of the issues saying that assurance would not work this time. However, with no effective outcomes the delegation called for the indefinite protest.
Their demands include uniform policy for recruitment, promotion, regularization and pay revision, revival of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and the appointment of working doctors on administrative posts instead of bureaucrats.
The doctors are also demanding the implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) 2008 in Madhya Pradesh which was enacted by the Union Government back then.
It must be noted that the Doctors have been raising concerns since a long time. They conducted statewide mobilisation rally under the banner of the MP government and autonomous doctors’ federation dubbed as ‘Chikitsa Bachao – Chikitsak Bachao’ from January 27 to February 7.