On the state-wide call of Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA) as many as 1750 Medical Officers went on two hours pen down strike in all hospitals in the State today partly affecting the health services. Talking to Himvani, General Secretary HMOA Dr. Sant Lal said that including 1400 members about 300 doctors of Resident Doctors Associations of IGMC Shimla and Dr. RPMGC Tanda and around 50 of Dental Doctors Association Shimla observed two hours pen down strike in major hospitals today.
He said that they were demanding protection to the Doctors, Paramedics and other hospital staffs seeking new non-bailable legislation on the analogy Medico Act 2010 implemented by 16 States in the Country. “Though the State Government intervened on Feb 1 appealing the HMOA to suspend today’s pen down strike after convening a consultation meeting for Feb 7 however, we decided to ignore it seeming the action as a half-hearted approach.”, Dr Lal alleged.
He said that Doctor’s held the gate meeting all over the State today however after two hours of pen down strike they resumed their duties so it did not cause more hardship to the gullible patients who are suffering due to the rigidness of the Government for not paying any heed to their long pending demands. As it has been stated earlier that Doctors also went on one day protest mass leave on Jan 23 this year to press their demands. He said that they were forced by the Government to take such regressive action against by giving today’s call of pen down strike and mass leave earlier as the State government did not concede their demands and paid attention towards providing security from politically connected and influential people who are unleashing their terror during duty hours on the doctors.
Doctors in the State were seeking pool proves security and safety to Medical Officers and no political influence, interference and threatening protesting on the number of such incidents with medical officers during their duties recently. HMOA claimed that it is forced to take coercive action as the long pending assurance of safety of doctors in the hospitals are not fulfilled so far. Despite continue raising the issue since last last four years State Government remained silent.
The HMOA did not deny attending Feb 7 consultation meeting convened by the Government on Feb 1 to end the dead lock. The pen down strike to continue till Feb 12 if demands were not considered, he added.
