IEP Chandigarh
Haryana Health and Family Welfare Minister, Sh. Anil Vij has reassured the public that all patients visiting government health institutions or hospitals in the state will receive adequate healthcare services, despite the ongoing strike called by government doctors. In response to the strike, the Health Department has revoked all types of leaves for doctors, mobilizing around 3,000 doctors to ensure continuous services.The Minister Sh. Vij said that to ensure continuous service for the public, the health department has mobilized approximately 3,000 doctors including consultants, senior consultants, NHM doctors, DNB doctors, medical officers from medical colleges, and community health officers. Notably, doctors from the Haryana Health Department have called for a strike, halting all health services in government healthcare facilities from December 29 until their demands are addressed.
Yesterday late evening, the Director General of the Haryana Health Services Department, Dr. Randeep Singh Poonia, along with Dr. J.S. Punia (DGHS) and Dr. Manish Bansal (DHS), convened a meeting with representatives of the HCMS Association. The attendees included State President Dr. Rajesh Kumar, Media Coordinator Dr. Amarjeet, and District President Dr. Mandeep, State General Secretary Dr. Anil Yadav also participated via WhatsApp call. The meeting addressed various demands of the association, such as the establishment of a specialist cadre, amendments to the PG policy, pay revisions, and halting direct recruitment of SMOs.
During the meeting, association office bearers were informed that the specialist cadre has been approved. Currently, direct recruitment of SMOs is not underway, and plans are in place to promote 100 medical officers to SMO positions. This process is underway. Additionally, the state government is considering pay revisions and PG policy amendments. The demands of the association are receiving top priority for resolution.
Given these developments, the strike called by the Association appears unwarranted. The Association is urged to retract the strike notice and resume health services immediately in the public’s interest. Dr. G Anupama, Additional Chief Secretary of the Health Department, has been briefed on these concerns and has pledged to address them compassionately, scheduling a subsequent meeting with the Health Minister.
It was also conveyed that while association representatives have not called off the strike, they have committed to maintaining emergency services. A previously scheduled meeting with the Health Minister on December 26, 2023, did not materialize due to the absence of association representatives. Nonetheless, the Health Department has canceled all doctor leaves.
