Haryana Doctors Announce Strike, Govt responds by invoking ESMA

 Doctors Demands

 Around 1,900 doctors in the state, all members of Haryana Civil Medical Services Association have been demanding the state to issue a notification to enable the doctors in rural areas to avail themselves of its benefit under the quota in admission to PG courses last year. This includes specifying what are rural and remote areas, as per the SC direction. However, with the government not issuing the said notification, and the examination of this year, inching closer, doctors demanded the government to take action or they will go on strike

"The entrance test for next year's admissions is due in next couple of months and still the government was yet to issue the notification. Serving doctors are feeling frustrated and demoralized due to this. If corrective steps are not taken, many of the serving doctors will leave the job, leading to the collapse of the health system in coming years in Haryana," Dr MP Singh, vice president, Haryana Civil Medical Services Association told TOI.

However, the demands of the doctors have been only met with the invocation of ESMA, Health Minister Anil Vij on Sunday said the demands of the doctors were not justified. Speaking to Tribune, Vij said, "The doctors will not be allowed to observe any strike and their demands are not justified. They will not be allowed to paralyze essential services."