Uttarakhand AYUSH doctors launch statewide agitation, announce OPD boycott
AYUSH Doctors Protest
Dehradun: The Uttarakhand Government Ayurveda and Unani Medical Service Association has announced a statewide phased agitation over several long-pending demands of medical officers working in the AYUSH department. The protest began on June 8 and will escalate in stages if the issues remain unresolved.
As part of the first phase, Ayurveda doctors across the state are wearing black armbands from June 8 to June 10 as a symbolic mark of protest. The association has also announced a boycott of outpatient department (OPD) services on June 13, accompanied by demonstrations at district headquarters across the state.
Association president Dr Neeraj Kohli and general secretary Dr Hardev Singh Rawat said that repeated discussions with government and departmental authorities have failed to result in any concrete action on the long-pending demands. They alleged that medical officers in the AYUSH department have faced years of administrative neglect despite providing healthcare services in challenging and remote areas, reports Amar Ujala.
The association has highlighted several unresolved issues, including the appointment of a departmental director, pending Assured Career Progression (ACP) cases, implementation of the Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme, restructuring of the department, expansion of promotion opportunities, anomalies related to study leave, regularisation of employees, and concerns regarding Aadhaar-based biometric and mobile application-based attendance systems.
According to the association, a government order for the implementation of DACP benefits approved by the state cabinet in 2022 has yet to be issued. It also argued that linking salary disbursement to biometric and mobile-based attendance systems is impractical in many Ayurvedic and Unani hospitals located in remote and mountainous regions, where internet connectivity and technical infrastructure remain inadequate.
The association stated that OPD services will continue on June 11 and 12, although protest activities will be carried out during this period. If the demands remain unresolved, AYUSH doctors will launch an indefinite strike and begin a sit-in protest at the Directorate of Ayurveda from June 15.
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