Author Vinay Kochhar Amritsar/Chandigarh.
Doctors of government hospitals in Punjab have warned of going on strike. Doctors will go on strike on January 20 over their demands. Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) has sounded the bugle of struggle if the demands are not met.
After the strike warning, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema called the officials of Punjab Civil Medical Services Association for talks. Finance Minister Cheema will hold a meeting with the officials of PCMSA. This meeting will be held in Chandigarh on Tuesday at 2 pm. Doctors have warned of going on strike from January 20 over their demands of salary hike and promotion.
The association has announced that from January 20, they will protest by closing OPDs in all government hospitals. Regarding this, a meeting of the governing body of the association has been called in Moga on January 12, in which the full program of this strike will be released. Doctors are protesting over promotion and salary hike.
Agreement was reached on these demands
Association head Akhil Sarin said that earlier also they had gone on strike in entire Punjab. After this, on the instructions of CM Bhagwant Mann, Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh had a meeting with them. All their demands were agreed upon in the meeting. After this, the Health Minister himself ended their strike in the meeting and announced that all the major demands of the doctors will be met by the government. This included salary hike, promotion and proper arrangements for 24-hour security.
Demands not met even after assurance
He said that they were assured of meeting these demands within 12 weeks, but now even after 14 weeks have passed, the demands have not been met. After the recent recruitment done by the government, there is a shortage of 54 percent specialists and 43 percent medical officers. From this, it can be guessed what will be the future of the health system of the state.