Patiala Doctors in government medical and dental colleges in Patiala and Amritsar observed July 1, National Doctors’ Day, as a ‘Black Day’ in protest against the recommendations of the Sixth Punjab Pay Commission report on Thursday.
Doctors have said that the report, as it relates to state government doctors, will lead to a drastic cut in their salaries. They also claim that the state government has failed to fulfil some of the long-pending demands of medical and dental faculty.
Dr DS Bhullar, state general secretary of Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers Association (PSMDTA), said, “OPD and operation theatre services, along with classroom teaching, were kept suspended for three hours in medical and dental colleges and attached hospitals in Patiala and Amritsar as a mark of protest.” Emergency, indoor patient and Covid services, along with medico-legal and post-mortem work, was kept not disrupted.
Medical and dental teachers, along with senior and junior resident doctors from different departments, organised a massive rally on the medical college premises in Patiala. They burnt copies of the Sixth Pay Commission in protest.
In their general body meeting, doctors also threatened to continue with their protest till the NPA (Non Practicing Allowance) is restored and linked with basic pay, along with restoration of all other allowances. They have also sought NPA be renamed as Compensatory Pay, as the NPA is a misnomer.
“The PSMDTA has submitted a memorandum to Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh; local bodies minister Brahm Mohindra and medical education minister OP Soni,” said Dr Bhullar.
PCMS docs on pen-down strike
Amritsar Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) doctors observed one-day pen-down strike in government hospitals in Tarn Taran and Amritsar districts. Dr jaspreet singh, president of PCMSA Tarn Taran, said the Sixth Pay Commission will lead to grave financial loss for doctors.
A joint press statement issued by government doctors coordination committee said, “Doctors hoped that the government would their selfless service. Instead, we have been disadvantaged.”
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