The government doctors in Haryana initiated an infinite strike from Thursday and dealing health services in state-run hospitals have been badly affected. HCMSA has planned this strike to meet several of its demands such as forming the specialist cadre and having a career progression plan that would make Haryana CM doctors at par with their counterparts in the central government.
This strike has elicited the censure of the state government, which has appealed to the HCMSA to consider the harm done to patients. Speaking to the doctors, the health minister, Dr Kamal Gupta, said that the state government is more than willing to resolve the issues highlighted by doctors as soon as possible. The leaders of the striking doctors leading strike demanded some changes, which the Chief Principal Secretary meditated to Chief Minister Rajesh Khullar. ‘‘Let me firmly assure you that all these concerns are being accorded the highest level of consideration,’’ Dr. Gupta added in his letter to the association.
Doctors’ Main Concern
The biggest outstanding issues for the doctors are the adequate development of the specialist cadre and a proper career structure frame. Further, they also wanted to stop the Direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers and reduce the bond amount for the Postgraduate courses. The association’s president, Dr. Rajesh Khyalia, and three other physicians began an infinite hunger strike before the Office of the Health Services Director General in Panchkula on Wednesday, stressing the determination of the protest. “If there is no outcome, then our strike will continue endlessly,” Dr. Khyalia said.
This strike has resulted in long queues and OPD patient delays in Panchkula, Karnal, Gurugram, and Panipat district hospitals. Several patients complained of the strike because they were told about it on arrival, demonstrating the general disruption to the service provision. The state government also continues to appeal to the HCMSA to empathize with the plight of the patients and the need to address the things that are at stake as soon as possible.
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