Staff on strike, Faridkot hospital faces blood shortage

Balwant Garg

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, May 28

About 600 employees of Government Medical College and Hospital and Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS) here have been on strike for the past one week, resulting in shortage of blood.

This has forced the hospital authorities to postpone surgeries, with the exception being made in emergency cases.

The protesting employees are demanding regular jobs and increase in their wages.

The medical college’s Department of Immuno Haematology and Blood Transfusion (IHBT) has reported severe shortage of blood. Against the daily supply of 50 to 60 units till a week ago, the IHBT Department is able to supply about 20 units for emergency cases only.

Of the 11 employees at the department, six are on strike. “The Department of IHBT was forced to cancel two blood donation camps because of the shortage of staff,” said Dr RN Maharishi, head of the department.

In view of the shortage, departments in the medical college have been asked to send demand for blood for emergency cases only.

“We have requested doctors not to send routine cases so that emergency cases don’t suffer, said Dr Maharishi.

Dr Raj Bahadur, Vice-Chancellor, BFUHS, said: “The decision to give regular jobs is with within the purview of the state government. The university has forwarded the employees’ demand to the government.”