SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Oct 1: Upset with the State government’s inaction, medical officers (government doctors) in Jharkhand have announced an indefinite work boycott starting October 4. However, emergency services will be exempt from this boycott.
The Jharkhand Health Services Association (JHSA), the representative body of government doctors, has issued a notice to the Principal Secretary of Health, stating that, due to the government’s failure to address their promised demands, doctors have no choice but to boycott their duties indefinitely.
Failed assurances
During a meeting on September 25, Health Minister Banna Gupta and Principal Secretary of Health Ajay Kumar Singh assured the JHSA and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) delegation that they would halt the actions taken by the Sahibganj district administration against doctors.
The Health Minister even contacted the Sahibganj Deputy Commissioner by phone and asked for the cessation of actions against the medical officers.
However, even after a week, despite these assurances, the Sahibganj Deputy Commissioner has failed to implement any of the demands agreed upon during the meeting.
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JHSA President Dr PP Shah and Secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh reported that the district administration has neither withdrawn the FIR against the doctors nor lifted the ban on salary payments for the Civil Surgeon.
Indefinite OPD boycott was lifted in Sahibganj on Sept 26
The government doctors in Sahibganj district initially began an indefinite OPD boycott on September 16 after the district administration lodged an FIR against two doctors and suspended the salary payment for the civil surgeon, following the death of a six-year-old Pahadi girl.
The doctors were particularly incensed by the Deputy Commissioner’s decision to appoint the Deputy Development Commissioner as the nodal officer for the health department.
In their notice, the JHSA President and Secretary emphasized that, based on the assurances given by the Health Minister and Principal Secretary, the indefinite boycott was lifted in Sahibganj on September 26. Consequently, the doctors now feel compelled to extend their boycott across the entire state.
DC withdraws notification
Meanwhile, the Sahibganj Deputy Commissioner has succumbed to the pressure from medical officers and rescinded the notification that appointed the Deputy Development Commissioner as the nodal officer for the Sadar Hospital.
On April 24, the Deputy Commissioner had issued this notification, which sparked strong protests from the doctors in Sahibganj. Ultimately, on September 30, the Deputy Commissioner removed the DDC from the hospital charge.
