Indore: Doctors call off strike after CM’s assurance

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): Much to relief for the patients, Madhya Pradesh Government and Autonomous Doctors Federation called off their strike after a meeting with chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan in Bhopal, on Friday.

President of Madhya Pradesh Medical Officers’ Association Dr Madhav Hasani said that the government had invited them for the talk on Friday. A three-member delegation attended the meet with initially with medical education minister Vishwas Sarang and later with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

“The Chief Minister assured the doctors that a high power committee will be formed to consider their demands. There will be three office bearers from our side and six department heads will be the members of the committee to discuss the issues and to take decision over the same,” Hasani said

Notably, the doctors have demanded: uniform policy for recruitment, promotion, regularisation and pay revision, revival of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and the appointment of working doctors on administrative posts instead of bureaucrats.

They are also demanding the implementation of Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) 2008 in Madhya Pradesh which was enacted by the Union Government back then. This policy has been opted for by 13 states so far.

The implementation of the DACP assures allopathic doctors the benefit of increase in the grade pay of the doctors after 4, 9, 13, and 20 years of the service irrespective of whether they get promotions or not.

Health services affected on Friday morning

Health services were affected in all government hospitals of the city on Friday morning when doctors remained on strike. Moreover, the emergency services were also affected and health department officials had asked the doctors, called from private medical colleges, to refer patients to private hospitals for treatment. Services remain affected till 1 pm and patients couldn’t get treatment and consultation in the OPDs at government hospitals.