Punjab: Govt Doctors to Suspend OPD Services From Sept 12. Here's Why

Chandigarh: Government doctors in Punjab on Wednesday announced that they will proceed with their call for a complete suspension of outpatient department (OPD) services from Thursday as the state government failed to issue a written communication on its assurance of fulfilling their demands.

After a meeting with the Punjab Cabinet sub-committee here, the protesting doctors said it had in principle agreed to all of their demands including restoration of the assured career progression scheme. But in the absence of any written assurance on their demands, they decided to go ahead with the next phase of their agitation.

Around 2,500 government doctors are holding protests under the banner of the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association to press for their demands, including reinstatement of the ACP scheme and seeking adequate security measures for healthcare professionals.

Their other demands are adequate security measures for healthcare professionals at hospitals and recruitment of more medical officers. The ACP scheme provides financial benefits and higher pay scales to government employees.

Representatives of the PCMS association on Wednesday held a meeting with the Punjab Cabinet Sub-Committee comprising Health Minister Balbir Singh, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema, New and Renewable Energy Minister Aman Arora and NRI Affairs Minister Kuldeep Dhaliwal to discuss their demands, PCMS association president Dr Akhil Sarin said.

"They agreed to all of our demands in principle," said Sarin.

He said when no official communication on their demands was issued by the state government by evening, they decided to go ahead with their next phase of agitation.

The PCMS Association suspended OPD services for three hours -- from 8 am to 11 am from September 9 to 11 in all district, sub-divisional hospitals and community health centres.

In the next phase of their agitation, doctors will completely suspend OPD services for three days from September 12.

However, emergency services, post mortems and medicolegal examinations will continue.

The PCMS association stressed that their demands were non-negotiable and required urgent action. Sarin said that the issue of ACPs was extensively discussed during the meeting.

The cabinet sub-committee, acknowledging the legitimacy of PCMSA's demands, gave "unanimous" approval for the restoration of the stalled ACPs to the PCMS cadre, said Sarin.

The discussion was marked by a positive and conducive atmosphere.

After the meeting, PCMS association was assured that an official letter from the government would be issued on Wednesday, outlining the cabinet sub-committee's decision on the restoration of ACPs and other matters discussed during the meeting.