In Junga, doctors expressed their anger by wearing black badges

Doctors of Civil Hospital Junga have been treating patients wearing black badges since yesterday and have expressed anger towards the government for not meeting their demands. Medical in-charge of the hospital, Dr. Manoj Sharma says that even after seven months, the government has not fulfilled the demands of Himachal Pradesh Medical Association. He said that the self-respect of doctors has been hurt due to the government ignoring the demands of the Himachal Medical Officers Association. He told that on June 3, 2023, Himachal Medical Officers Association had held a meeting with Chief Minister Sukhwinder Singh Sukhu regarding their demands, but till date those demands have not been met, due to which there is anger in the doctors’ association.
Dr. Manoj said that among the main demands of the association, promotion should be done on the basis of merit and seniority. Similarly, various posts of Director Health Services, Deputy Director and Block Medical Officers are lying vacant in the Health Department. A request was made to the government to promote these posts on the basis of merit and seniority. The union has strongly demanded to end the process of service extension. They say that retired Chief Medical Officers should not be promoted which is not in the interest of the unemployed young doctors of the state. The union has also demanded that medical officers from MBBS cadre should be appointed to the posts of program officers. There has been a demand to approve separate posts of Dental Officers as Program Officers and to re-implement the NPA. Go. The salary of specialist doctors has been reduced to Rs 33,660 whereas under the notification the minimum salary was fixed at Rs 40,392, which is not logical.
Dr. Manoj said that doctors are working in remote areas under various adverse conditions and their demands are absolutely justified on which the government should take immediate action.