Docs continue strike against 6th pay panel, patients suffer

Manav Mander

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 22

Doctors continue with their strike against the Sixth Pay Commission today and all the services, including OPDs, were completely suspended by them. Only emergency services were provided by the doctors.

Patients on the other hand are having a difficult time as it was the third day in a row that no OPD service was provided by the doctors. This month medical services were disrupted as the doctors remained on strike on maximum days. For a few days parallel OPDs were held but now the doctors have stopped that as well after the government did not accept their demands.

Dr Rohit Rampal from the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association said they are left with no other option but to go on a strike.

“The government is not listening to our genuine demands. Despite working 24X7 during the peak Covid season, the government has made reductions in our salaries. Doctors should have been given bonus but the reality is entirely different,” said Dr Rampal.

He said that doctors worked relentlessly during Covid but this is what government has gifted them. “We were expecting some bonus in lieu of our selfless services but the government instead has decided to deduct our salaries,” he said.

Dr Deepinder Bhasin, state president of the Rural Medical Officers Association, Punjab, condemned the insensitive attitude of the Punjab Government and said around 5,000 doctors will peacefully march from Civil hospital, Mohali, to the CM residence on Friday and in future more steps will be taken to get NPA rollback.

Doctors are protesting against the recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission to reduce non-practicing allowance (NPA) of veterinarians, medicos and allied professionals from 25 to 20 per cent along with delinking it from the basic pay structure.

Meanwhile, patients were seen waiting outside the OPDs for the doctors and after waiting for couple of hours they were seen returning.

“I am asking the doctor that when should I come to see him but he is not giving any concrete answer. They are on strike but for how many days?” questioned Sushma, a resident of Aman Nagar.

Another patient, who came to the hospital at 8 am with the hope of seeing the doctor early and returning home on time, said she waited till 12 pm but got disappointed.

“There is nobody to listen to the poor,” added Ram Dayal, a patient who was having fever.

Stagnant water emanates foul smell

Stagnant water all around was a common site at Civil Hospital today. Foul smell was emanating out of it. Due to monsoon season, the water has collected at several places and it was impossible to walk inside the campus.