Faridkot Medical College Staff Strike Over Baseless and Defamatory Allegations

Faridkot: Doctors, nurses, and staff at the government-run Guru Gobind Singh Medical College and Hospital (GGSMCH) in Faridkot launched a strike on Friday in protest against what they described as “baseless and defamatory” allegations circulating on social media. The strike led to a complete shutdown of all departments, with only emergency services remaining functional.

According to the news reports, the protesting doctors and the other staff accused certain social media influencers of levelling corruption charges against hospital officials without any basis.

The protest was supported by representatives from several associations, including the Medical Teachers’ Association, Resident Doctors’ Association (RDA), Nursing Association, Students’ Association, Indian Medical Association (IMA), and the Civil Hospital Association.

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“Despite our best efforts, certain mischievous elements have been spreading misleading content on social media aimed at defaming the institution,” alleged the protesting doctors in a statement, reports Tribune India.

The statement added that the medical fraternity is demoralised, and public confidence in a premier government-run healthcare institution is shaken by these unfounded allegations. The employees allege that videos and social media posts have falsely portrayed them as negligent and corrupt. Speaking to the Tribune India, a protesting doctor said, “There is no truth to these claims. We are demanding that the government identify and take legal action against those who are spreading such rumours.”

Local Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLA Gurdit Singh Sekhon met with the protesters and accepted a memorandum outlining their grievances. He assured the staff that he would personally escalate the matter to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and advocate for action against those “maligning the image” of GGSMCH.

The GGSMCH protest takes place against the backdrop of mounting controversy surrounding its parent institution, Baba Farid University of Health Sciences (BFUHS). Senior AAP leader Arsh Sachar has publicly levelled serious allegations of corruption and irregularities in procurement and staffing at the university.

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Dr. Sood has denied the charges, labelling them as politically driven attempts to discredit the university. According to the Tribune India, “All university processes, including procurement and recruitment, are carried out in a transparent and regulated manner. If anyone has evidence, they are welcome to present it through the proper legal channels,” he added.