Doctors adamant on shutdown of services despite ESMA imposition in Haryana

Tribune News Service

Rohtak, January 12

The imposition of the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) by the Haryana Government notwithstanding, the Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS) Association has decided to go ahead with its plan to shut down the entire healthcare services across the state with effect from January 14.

The association has also decided to launch a “jail bharo” drive if its demands are still not met. “We request the government to put all doctors of the state together in one big jail and hang them. We would like to die once and for all rather than dying daily,” said the association in an official statement issued today.

The demands

• Creation of specialist cadre
• Stoppage of direct recruitment to posts of senior medical officers
• Restoration of HCMS quota in admission to postgraduate medical courses

The HCMS Association has threatened a total shutdown of all services, including emergency, Covid and post-mortem, with effect from January 14.

“As per the WHO norms, there should be at least 10,000 doctors at the state-run health facilities in Haryana, but only around 2,500 doctors are actually working here. Nearly 700 specialist doctors are working against the required strength of 2,000. The doctors are overburdened and, hence, unable to provide quality healthcare services to the public,” the association maintains. It points out that the doctors, who have worked with dedication and sincerity during Covid, are being forced to go on strike due to the insensitive attitude of the state government which, it says, is “highly unfortunate and condemnable.”

“The government has issued the ESMA notification now. We want to urge the government that we are also fighting for the improvement of these essential services, which are in a pathetic condition,” said the statement.

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