Patients suffer as doctors, vets continue strike in Ludhiana

Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, August 3

Doctors continue with their strike against the recommendations of the Sixth Pay Commission. No work was carried out at Civil Hospital and the Civil Surgeon’s office was also shut by the protesting doctors.

Today only emergency services, Covid-related duties, rape case examinations and medico-legal cases were attended to by doctors at Civil Hospital. OPD services, surgeries, meetings and other works related to various government schemes were suspended.

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 basic pay structure.

“Despite assurances by the Health Minister, no step is being taken to roll back the cut in the NPA. We are left with no other option but to protest,” said Dr Rohit Rampal from the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA).

Meanwhile, visitors to both Civil Hospital and the Civil Surgeon’s office had a tough time as no staff was available today as well.

Patients were seen waiting outside the OPDs for doctors. Some had come from far-off places and had to return without getting treatment.

Similar scenes were observed at the Civil Surgeon’s office as well where no work was carried and visitors had to return without their work being done.

Meanwhile, annoyed over the reduction in the NPA, agitating veterinary doctors continued their protest for the second consecutive day in the form of a sit-in at the office of the Deputy Director, Animal Husbandry, Ludhiana, today, thereby suspending the work in hospitals and the office as well.

The doctors condemned the alleged callous attitude of the government towards their genuine demands with heavy sloganeering against it.

District president of the Punjab State Veterinary Officer’s Association Dr Chatinder Singh Rai asserted that the protest would be continued till their demands were met. The call for today’s sit-in was given by the Joint Government Doctors Co-ordination Committee.

Besides, deputy director Paramdeep Singh Walia, assistant director Neelam Grover, senior veterinary officers and scores of veterinary officers participated in the protest.

Darshan Kheri, state general secretary of the association, also participated in the protest.

They said Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu while attending the state-level sit-in protest at Mohali in July had promised to roll back the cut in the NPA by July 30. But nothing was done till date.