Work remains suspended at Ludhiana Civil Hospital on Doctors’ Day

Manav Mander
Tribune News Service
Ludhiana, July 1

National Doctors’ Day was today observed by government doctors as ‘protest day’. Doctors who are working tirelessly since the outbreak of Covid pandemic have opposed the recommendations of the 6th Pay Commission and slammed the government for reducing their pay instead of giving them special allowance for giving selfless services to society.

Work remain suspended at the civil hospital today as a mark of protest.

Dr Kulwant Singh, president, Punjab Civil Medical Services Association. Civil Hospital, Ludhiana, and Dr Balwinder from Punjab Homeopathic associations along with other doctors held protest at the civil hospital against the delinking of Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) from basic pay.

“What to expect any benefit/allowance from the government, it has reduced our salaries. Doctors never looked back and were serving 24x7 amidst the pandemic and this is what we have been rewarded with,” said Dr Rohit Rampal from Punjab Civil Medical Services Association.

“Blinkered attitude of the state government towards the demands of rural doctors and giving no ear to the long pending demand of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) and now cut on NPA has left the cadre of rural doctors in disappointment, and now we have decided to boycott all the programs of state government and started it by observing Doctors’ Day as black day across Punjab,” said Dr JP Narula, state president, Rural Medical Services Association.

He further added that Rural Medical Officers are tirelessly working on frontline amidst Covid, immunisation in rural areas is largely supervised by the cadre of RMOs but instead of encouraging them the government is deliberately demoralising.

Dr Jagjit Singh Bajwa, president, Association of Rural Medical Officers, Punjab, said, “The rural veterinary officers who were regularized along with rural medical officers have got their right of DACP from 2015, but we the RMOs are still running from pillar to post to get our legitimate right”.

Functions held at pvt hospitals

A small function was held today in the main reception area of Hero DMC Heart Institute. The function was conducted by WND, an NGO. During the function, many doctors were felicitated by volunteers of the NGO with goodie bags, which contained several kinds of products being designed by the teenager volunteers.

Similarly, Fortis Hospital, celebrated the National Doctors’ Day and acknowledged the work of doctors in saving lives from Covid. Dr Vishavdeep Goyal, Zonal Director, Fortis Hospitals said, “We are all grateful for the contribution of doctors during the pandemic and beyond. Our doctors have served society without caring about their own lives and well-being.”