The strike by the contractual workers of Uttarakhand Purva Sainik Kalyan Nigam Limited (UPNL) adversely affected the health services in the State on Monday.
Demanding a minimum salary, the Association of UPNL workers was on strike today and the work in most of the departments got affected by their agitation and cast its shadow on the health services the most.
The strike brought work in the Government Doon Medical College (GDMC) hospital to a halt and caused inconvenience to those visiting the biggest hospital of the State. The work at registration counter, billing section, pathology lab, radiology department and some other important sections of the hospital were adversely affected.
The registration counter where the patients first of all visit remained non functional for hours on the day. Later, the hospital administration deployed some permanent employees who gave hand issued registration slips to the patients.
The patients visiting the OPD counters could not get the tests prescribed by the doctors as the centralised billing counter was closed.
The Mukhyamantri Swasthya Bima Yojna (MSBY) counter of the hospital too was locked by the agitated UPNL workers due to which the poor patients faced problems. Later the hospital administration deployed one employee but due to lack of knowledge about the work, he proved ineffective. The strike also prolonged the stay of the in house patients. Many of the hapless patients were seen leaving the hospital for the private health centre.
The Medical Superintendent (MS) of the hospital Dr K K Tamta said that permanent employees were deployed at registration counter and other places to minimise the effect of strike.
One of an agitated UPNL workers said that all 171 UPNL workers of the hospital have gone on an indefinite strike as the State Government is showing no concern for the demands of the workers.
The condition in other Government hospitals and health centre in all parts of the state was similar as UPNL workers remained on strike. The work in health directorate too got affected by the strike.