On Monday, outpatient department (OPD) services at Phase-6 Civil Hospital in Mohali were suspended for three hours due to a strike by government doctors across Punjab. The strike, organized by the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association, began at 8 a.m. and lasted until 11 a.m., with the action set to continue until September 11.
The doctors’ strike aimed to address several key demands, including the reinstatement of the Assured Career Progression (ACP) scheme, enhanced security for healthcare workers, timely recruitment of medical officers, and the release of pending arrears under the Central Pay Commission.
Despite the temporary halt in OPD services, essential medical services were maintained without disruption. Emergency care, autopsies, deliveries, C-sections, and medico-legal examinations continued as usual. New patient registrations and elective procedures were postponed during the strike hours.
Patients, many of whom were unaware of the strike, faced significant delays. Ram Niwas, who had traveled from Balongi for a surgery consultation, expressed his frustration, “I arrived at 6:30 a.m. and waited in line for registration, only to find out about the strike later.” Similarly, Jagdish Kumar from Barmajra and Navjot Kaur from Sohana, both faced long waits for their respective treatments.
Dr. Harpreet Kaur, a medical officer at the civil hospital, explained, “We placed banners to inform the public about the strike, and new registrations were halted for three hours. Elective procedures were postponed, but emergency services continued uninterrupted.”
Sources By Agencies
