Security at Workplace: Bihar Health Services Association Doctors threaten to boycott OPD on August 18,19

Patna: Raising their voice against the state government for not providing adequate security and sending them to poor medical centres, the doctors under the banner of Bihar Health Services Association (BHSA) have warned the government that strict action will be taken if the working condition of medical practitioners is not improved.

The association gave a deadline of August 12 to the state health department to meet their seven points demands.

It has emerged that if the government fails to address their demands, the association will boycott outdoor patient department (OPD) duty on August 18 and 19. Moreover, the doctors will wear a black badge to work on August 16 and 17 as a mark of protest against the government.

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A core meeting in Patna on Sunday led the doctors to take action after they learned that the government had been urged to take action against 12 doctors who had been removed from training after they were found allegedly misbehaving with officials causing a ruckus at the centre.

In a letter addressed to the additional chief secretary of health, the Bihar Institute of Public Administration and Rural Development (BIPARD) sought strict action against the 12 doctors who refused to work at the centre despite their bond with them.

In response to the issue, the association clarified that a group of 12 doctors from the seventh batch of government doctors were sent for 6-day training between July 31 and August 5 in Gaya. However, when the doctors arrived at the centre, they were shocked to find the poor working condition and argued with the officials demanding adequate facilities.

After the situation escalated, an argument took place between the doctors and the officials of the centre following which the doctors were removed from the training on their first day.

Dr Rupesh Kumar, deputy superintendent of sub-divisional hospital, Madhepura, who was among the 12 doctors informed HT, “Two doctors were asked to accommodate on a single bed in a single occupancy room. When incidents of fungal infection, scabies and eye flu is high, we requested the authorities to at least provide us with two separate beds in single-seater rooms. We were not even given packaged drinking water. Besides, the quality of food, hygiene and sanitation at the hostel was poor."

Another doctor said, “The trainees were also made to sign a 15-20 point bond, which among others mentioned that BIPARD will not be responsible for any injury or death of the participants. Dr Shahid Raza Ansari, medical officer, Kishanganj, was suffering from eye flu, but still not allotted a single room."

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Urging to address their demands, BHSA additional secretary Dr Hasrat Abbas and its spokesperson Dr Vinay Kumar requested the government not to send any more batches of doctors for training to BIPARD till it improved the conditions.

Following this, their seven-point demands include:

• Adequate security for doctors by raising a dedicated health police force
• No disciplinary action against 12 doctors, prematurely sent off from training in Gaya
• Not to force biometric attendance on government doctors till the government stipulates their duration of work and makes arrangements for residential facilities,
• Reservation of 30 per cent seats for in-service doctors in postgraduate and DNB (diplomate national board) exams
• Doctor couples to be placed in the same location,
• Regular promotion
• Implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP)