Punjab govt doctors to suspend OPD services for three days from today; patients suffer across state
Punjab doctors' strike: Punjab doctors have announced a complete suspension of outpatient department (OPD) services starting today (September 12) after the state government failed to issue a formal written assurance regarding their demands. Despite verbal agreements made during a meeting with the Punjab Cabinet sub-committee, the lack of official communication has left the doctors with no choice, but to escalate their protest.
The protesting Punjab doctors, represented by the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association, had initially engaged in discussions with a cabinet sub-committee, which included Health Minister Balbir Singh, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, New and Renewable Energy Minister Aman Arora, and NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal. During the meeting, the sub-committee agreed in principle to address the doctors’ key demands, particularly the restoration of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme.
However, despite the sub-committee's verbal agreement to reinstate the ACP scheme and meet other demands, no written confirmation was provided by the Punjab Government. This led the PCMS Association to proceed with its next phase of agitation, starting with a total shutdown of OPD services for three consecutive days beginning September 12.
The ACP scheme is a crucial demand for the doctors, as it offers financial benefits and higher pay scales to government employees based on their career progression. The scheme, which had been stalled, is seen as essential for providing long-term job security and financial stability to healthcare professionals in the state.
In addition to the ACP scheme, the doctors are calling for improved security measures in hospitals to ensure the safety of healthcare professionals. Concerns over inadequate security have been a longstanding issue, with incidents of violence against medical staff reported in various parts of the state. The doctors are also pushing for the recruitment of more medical officers to address staff shortages, which have placed an increasing burden on existing personnel and affected the overall quality of care provided to patients.
Approximately 2,500 government doctors have been protesting under the banner of the PCMS Association. Their agitation began with a partial suspension of OPD services, as they halted work for three hours each day from September 9 to 11, in hospitals across the state. These included district and sub-divisional hospitals as well as community health centres, with doctors refusing to see patients between 8 am and 11 am.
However, with the government's failure to issue a written response by Wednesday evening, the doctors decided to move forward with their planned escalation, which will see a complete shutdown of OPD services. Emergency services, post-mortem procedures, and medicolegal examinations will continue during this period, ensuring that urgent cases are still attended to. Punjab on a wider scale.
- With inputs from our correspondent
