news details |
|
|
| Govt, medicos on warpath | | Ministers say call off strike for fresh talks; doctors refuse to oblige | | Early Times Report
Jammu, Oct 18: With no signs of an early end to the medico-government impasse, the Medical Education Minister Rajinder Singh Chib and Health Minister Sham Lal Sharma today further toughened posture making it clear that talks can be initiated with agitating junior doctors only after strike is called off.
Meanwhile, reports pouring in from various parts of the state suggested that patients continue to be at the receiving end of the egoistic standoff between medicos and the government as no party is ready to budge in interest of patients. Even as the government claimed that patients are being attended by the senior doctors but visit to local hospitals and reports pouring in from the region suggested gloomy state of affairs.
To review the situation arising out of prolonging strike of doctors, a meeting was convened here this evening by Medical Education Minister Rajinder Singh Chib which was attended among others by the Medical Education Minister Sham Lal Sharma, the Principal of the Medical College and Director Health Services.
Terming the strike as totally unethical and against the interests of the state, the ministers said that the junior doctors have no reason to continue the strike when government has time and again made it clear that the genuine demands of the doctors will be addressed before the darbar move.
They maintained that first the striking doctors will have to call off their strike and then representatives from Medical Education and Health Departments can come and discuss their demands with then an open mind, subsequently the decision will be taken before darbar move.
The ministers said that if the doctors continue to strike, government will be constrained to take necessary action in the interest of public.
They once again asked the doctors to call off the strike in their own interest and the interests the ailing humanity.
The ministers claimed that the emergency services in both urban and rural areas are being maintained to satisfaction of majority of the people. They further claimed that senior doctors are working 24 hours to provide health facilities to the ailing people. However, they said that it is unfortunate that some of our people are suffering due to the strike of the doctors.
Meanwhile, as junior doctors remained away from their duties due to indefinite strike called by Doctors Joint Action Committee (DJAC), the medicare facilities in GMC hospital and associated hospitals in several districts and sub-districts throughout the state remained paralysed. The emergency services had also been affected although it remained open and was being run by senior doctors, they said.
DJAC spokesman, Dr Neeraj Sharma told reporters that protest would continue until the government accepts their demands. Over 4,000 doctors are participating in the strike. Commenting dismissal notice issued to 27 junior doctors for remaining absent for their duties, Sharma said, "Over 300 doctors have already resigned en-mass on October 12."
DJAC will continue their strike until government does not give them assurance in writing that their all demands would be met, Sharma said.
The demand of the doctors includes implementation of the 6th pay commission, one grade pay higher than 10+2 lecturers, BUMS, BAMS as recommended by S L Bhat committee, change of pay band of doctors from pay band two to pay band three and payment of arrears from January 2006 and time bond promotions of doctors in 5,10,15 years.
Meanwhile, Director of Sher-e-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Abdul Hamid Zargar today asked the resident staff of the hospital to stay away from the agitation in the larger interest of the people.
"In the interest of the patients and maintaining the highest moral and ethical values, the resident staff of SKIMS are advised to stay away from this agitation," Zargar said in a statement here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
