Struggle by doctors intensifies : Health and Veterinary Doctors occupied district offices and stopped work
Chandigarh, August 2, 2021: On the call of the Joint Government Doctors Coordination Committee, the state's health and veterinary doctors have been fighting against the government for the last one month against the NPA cuts and privatization policy. Earlier during the agitation, doctors were boycotting government OPDs and continuing their parallel OPDs. From 2nd August all streams doctors completely shut down OPDs and all government work in Punjab was halted by staging a sit-in in front of district offices.
- Doctors intensify struggle against NPA cuts and privatization move.
- Occupied district level offices of health and animal husbandry department
- Emergency / Covind / Medico / In vitro-legal / postmortem will not be closed
It may be recalled that Health Minister Balvir Singh Sidhu had announced to resolve the cut in NPA by July 30th after the state level protest of doctors. Brahm Mahindra, chairman of the sub-committee, had also promised a solution to the issue by July 19, but the government's promises have not been fulfilled and doctors are now forced to intensify their struggle.
In a statement, Dr. Gagandeep Singh, President, PCMS Association,Dr. Sarabjit Singh Randhawa President, Veterinary Officers Association Dr. Gagandeep Singh Shergill Sr.Vice President PCMSA Dr. Pawanpreet Kaur President, Dental Association, Dr. Sanjeev Pathak President, Ayurvedic Association, Dr. Deepinder Singh President RMO Association, Dr. Balwinder Singh President, Homoeopathic Association and Dr. Jagjit Singh Bajwa President Rural Medical Officers Association told that the call has been issued for complete closure of OPDs and complete cessation of office work by occupying the offices of District Level Health and Animal Husbandry Department. Today on 2nd August all the health and veterinary doctors of the state have completely shut down their OPDs and staged a protest in front of the district offices and stopped all government work to awaken the government from fast sleep.
Dr. Inderveer Singh Gill Convener, Coordinating Committee, Dr. Gagandeep Singh President, PCMS Association, and Dr. Sarabjit Singh Randhawa, President, Veterinary Officers Association, told that the decision was taken by the Coordinating Committee out of frustration with the government's attitude. Even after this, in case of non-compliance with the demands, the government work would be stopped from August 5th by taking over the offices of the state level health and animal husbandry department. They also expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to the general public. They said that in the public interest, emergency/COVID / Medico/Vetro-legal and postmortem services were still being run by the doctors as usual.
Dr. Gagandeep Singh Shergill Senior Vice President, PCMS Association and Dr. Gurdev Singh, Senior Vice President, Punjab State Veterinary Officers Association, told the press that doctors across Punjab were protesting against the NPA cuts and the government's privatization policy and it was very unfortunate that the government is not bothered by its attitude towards the COVID warriors. If the struggle intensifies in the future, the entire responsibility will fall on the government. All streams of doctors of the state are united to save the public health care and veterinary care system.