Doctors at Civil Hospital Jhunjunu Protest Against Unfulfilled Demands
2 min read
Image Source Internet
Shimla, January 19: Doctors at Civil Hospital Jhunja treated patients by wearing black bands in protest against the government’s failure to meet their demands. Dr. Manoj Sharma, the medical in-charge of the hospital, stated that despite seven months passing, the government has not fulfilled the demands of the Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association.
He revealed that neglecting the demands of the association has hurt the pride of the doctors. On June 3, 2023, the Himachal Pradesh Medical Officers Association held a meeting with Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu regarding their demands, but to date, those demands have not been met, leading to resentment among medical professionals.
Dr. Manoj explained that the main demands of the association include promotions based on eligibility and seniority. Currently, various positions such as Director of Health Services, Deputy Director, and Medical Officer are vacant in the Health Department. The request was made to the government to fill these positions based on eligibility and seniority. The association has strongly demanded the completion of the service extension process.
He mentioned that retired Chief Medical Officers should not be given promotions, as it is not in the interest of unemployed young doctors in the state. The association has also demanded that program officers’ positions be filled by MBBS cadre medical officers. The demand for the reintroduction of non-practicing allowance (NPA) has also been made. The salary of specialist doctors has been reduced to ₹33,660, while the minimum salary under the notification was fixed at ₹40,392, which is not justifiable.
Dr. Manoj highlighted that doctors are working in remote areas under various adverse conditions. Their demands are entirely legitimate, and immediate action should be taken by the government.
