Doctors on protest run parallel OPDs

Manav Mander
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, July 15

Due to the non-acceptance of their demands, doctors continue with their protest. Parallel OPDs were held by both medical and veterinary doctors.

Services like online consultation, Sanjeevani, elective surgeries, videoconferences, webinars, unique disability identification camps, work related to Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana, meetings and office work (dealing with files, etc) were boycotted.

“Due to non-reception of any favourable comment from the Chief Minister and Finance Minister on the Sixth Pay Commission, we decided to hold parallel OPDs and boycott other works like webinars, camps, etc. We do not want patients to suffer and this was the reason consultations were done today and parallel OPDs were held,” said Dr Rohit Rampal from the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA).

“We also arranged/bought medicines from the funds collected at district levels and dispensed the same,” added Dr Rampal.

A blood donation camp was also held on the occasion where doctors donated blood for the cause of humanity and demands of the doctors.

“If the government doesn’t agree to our demands till July 18, then a call will be given from July 19 which may comprise of indefinite strike, dharna at Chandigarh, etc,” said Dr Avinash Jindal from PCMSA.

Veterinarians also operated from the campus of animal hospitals and polyclinics but did not sit inside the OPDs and gave consultation free of cost. Chattinder Singh, district president of the Punjab State Veterinary Association said today nearly 500 animals were given treatment and no fee was charged from the owners. This will continue till Saturday.

Meanwhile, a huge rush was witnessed at the hospitals today as doctors returned to see the patients after three days.

A patient at the Civil Hospital said finally after three days doctors returned but there was a huge rush of patients at the hospital.

“I had to wait for three hours to see the doctor but I was happy that I was able to see the doctor today,” he said.

Another patient added that there was a huge rush at the hospital today but the best part was that no slip was required today and I was seen by the doctor without any OPD fee,” said Vimal Kumar, a patient.

Doctors are protesting against the government’s move 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.