Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has urged protesting government doctors to end their strike immediately and return to work so that people do not suffer. He said the doctors have four major demands, and the government has already accepted three of them.
Saini, speaking in Chandigarh, said the finance department issued a notification on August 16, 2024, creating a specialised cadre for doctors. Another notification, issued on October 25, 2024, okayed travel allowance for doctors who need to work outside the hospital. He also said the government has stopped the direct recruitment of senior medical officers for now.
According to Saini, systems in other states are being studied before taking a final decision, and the suspension on direct recruitment will remain until the report is ready. However, the fourth demand, related to changes in the ACP structure, has not been accepted.
Saini urged doctors not to turn the issue into a political matter and stressed that the government has agreed to almost all of their demands. He said government hospitals have consistently improved and public trust in government healthcare has gone up.
The doctors had earlier gone on a two-day strike on December 8 and 9, but they have now extended it indefinitely. Due to the growing tension, the Haryana government on Tuesday evening invoked the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), which prohibits any strike by government doctors. The health department has also ordered deduction of salaries for the days doctors stayed off duty during the protest.
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