Haryana: Doctors threaten to go on strike on quota denial

Gurugram: Fifteen hundred government doctors have threatened to go on strike on June 19 if the state fails to notify difficult /remote areas and provide special packages to specialists within 10 days.The doctors are staging this protest for being deprived of quota in post graduate courses of Haryana Civil Medical Services (HCMS).Approximately 90 doctors posted at three General Hospitals and 30 health centers will be boycotting patients at the OPDs on the day of the strike.

On May 25 an apex court decision quashed the in service doctors'quota for all states , directing them to notify 'remote/difficult areas' and provide incentives to in service doctors at 10% marks per year(maximum 30% marks) over and above the NEET exam marks for Post Graduate admissions.

Prior to the court having taken a decision on incentive weight age of marks, 56 seats were reserved for HCMS for PG admissions. In the present situation with the government overlooking quota, only 12 HCMS candidates were admitted in the counselling session at Rohtak on May 30.

"In case the state does not address our demands, HCMS doctors will be forced to go on a one-day mass casual leave, shutting down OPD services. Emergency services, including post-mortems will be provided by volunteers," said President, HCMS Association, Dr Jasbir Parmar,

The state government had on May 5 notified 336 health centers to be coming under remote and difficult areasHowever the court did not accept it saying the list did not follow any particular criterion.

"But, as the Haryana government hasn't issued fresh notification, HCMS candidates suffered," revealed a health official to a health official to the TOI.

"There is an acute shortage of doctors in Haryana. Wages and perks are much lower than industry standards, demoralising doctors. If corrective steps are not taken, many will leave the job, leading to a collapse of the health system in Haryana," said Dr M P Singh, Vice-President, HCMS Association.