Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, July 23

Doctors continued with their strike by marching towards Chandigarh today and sat on a protest there. Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu assured the doctor fraternity that the decisions regarding NPA would be rolled back and has asked them to wait till Friday.

Dr Deepinder Bhasin, state president, Rural Medical Officers’ Association, Punjab, said if their demands were not met by Friday, they would intensify their struggle and boycott Emergency and Covid-related services.

The OPD/ In-house Patient Department, work related to Unique Disability Identification, Ayushman Bharat Sarbat Sehat Bima Yojana, webinars, video conferences, online consultation and elective surgeries remained suspended at the Ludhiana Civil Hospital today while only Emergency services were open.

The doctors are protesting against the recommendation of the Sixth Pay Commission to reduce Non Practice Allowance (NPA) of veterinarians, medicos and allied professionals from 25 to 20 per cent, along with de-linking it from basic pay structure.

Meanwhile, patients continued to have a difficult time amidst the strike. Patients coming for follow-up and consultation had to return empty handed.

Madhu Bala, a patient from Shimlapuri, said she had been visiting the hospital regularly since the past one week but she was unable to see a doctor. “Every time I come, the doctors are on a strike. I do not know when the strike will be over,” she said.

“It is the poor and the marginalised who are at the receiving end. I cannot afford to visit a private hospital and there are no doctors at government hospitals. The government should make some alternative arrangement,” said another patient.