Punjab: Govt doctors lock civil surgeon office, suspend OPDs in protest against reduction in NPA

Written by Sanchari Chattopadhyay Published On 2021-08-06T09:00:00+05:30 | Updated On 21 Aug 2024 1:51 PM IST

Punjab: Govt doctors lock civil surgeon office, suspend OPDs in protest against reduction in NPA

Ludhiana: With Punjab Government allegedly failing to fulfil their demands, government doctors protesting against the reduction of their Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) locked the civil surgeon office in Civil Lines on Monday for the next three days and sat outside it.

Supporting the protest, the doctors of Civil hospital also boycotted works related to Outpatient Department/In-house Patient Department, Unique Disability Identification, Ayushman Bharat Sarbat and Sehat Bima Yojana.

Moreover, webinars, video conferences, online consultation, and elective surgeries remained suspended at the Civil Hospital. However, emergency services, Covid related duties, rape-case examinations and medico-legal cases remained unaffected.

Medical Dialogues team had earlier reported that Cabinet took a decision following the 6th pay commission report and reduced the non-practice allowance from 25 % to 20% while dissociating it from the basic pay.

Also Read: Punjab: Govt doctors observe strike over NPA reduction, over 500 GGSMCH medicos join stir

Opposing tooth and nail the reduction in NPA from 25 % to 20% following the 6th Pay Commission report, the doctors have now closed down the Surgeon's office and sat in dharna in front of it.

"The Civil Surgeon office has been locked round the clock for the next three days and all routine works at the office will remain suspended. OPDs and other services will also remain suspended," Dr Rohit Rampal from the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) told The Tribune.

Previously, the government doctors in Punjab had gone on a three-day-long strike over the issue of reduction in the Non-Practicing Allowance (NPA) and pension benefits following the recommendations of the 6th pay commission. The strike was initiated by the Joint Punjab Government Doctors Coordination Committee, which includes members from the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMS).

However, "Despite assurances by the Health Minister, nothing concrete was being done to accept our demands. Despite working 24x7 during the peak of Covid, the government has made reductions in our salaries," Dr Rampal said.

Meanwhile, people have to face difficulties in approaching Civil Surgeon's office in the absence of doctors and other employees. The Civil Surgeon's office is responsible for providing certain documents and certificates. The kin of a patient who had to collect the death certificate of her father told the daily that on visiting Civil Surgeon's office, she saw that the room was locked, reports the daily.

Another visitor at the CS office who was supposed to get some documents related to food license stated that his work will suffer and he might face financial loss if the office does not resume soon. "It will cause me huge financial loss," he said.

One of the patients from Tajpur Road, who had been recommended a surgery by orthopaedic surgeon came to consult him but was unable to find any doctor to guide him.

"I enquired from some people standing near it and I was told that works had been suspended there. I came here from Samrala and it is difficult to travel in such hot and humid conditions," she said.

Sixth pay commissionNPAnon practicing allowanceludhianacivil surgeon officepunjabgovt doctorsprotest

Source : with inputs

Sanchari Chattopadhyay

Sanchari Chattopadhyay has pursued her M.A in English and Culture Studies from the University of Burdwan, West Bengal. She likes observing cultural specificities and exploring new places.