CHANDIGARH: Thousands of government doctors in Haryana went on an indefinite strike on Thursday, hitting services in state-run hospitals, with long queues outside OPDs and patients complaining they were being treated by interns or retired doctors.The strike has been called by the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association, which represents government doctors in the state, to protest the non-fulfilment of their various demands.In a bid to resolve the issue, government representatives are holding talks with the doctors’ body. The talks began in the afternoon.The doctors’ demands include the formation of a specialist cadre for them and a career progression scheme that ensures parity with their central government peers.The association called for a shutdown of health services in government hospitals as a mark of protest.A day ahead of the strike call, the state government had urged the doctors’ association to consider the impact of the strike on the patients.”Doctors of various government health institutions have proceeded on an indefinite strike across the state,” association president Dr. Rajesh Khyalia said.The institutions include civil hospitals, sub-district hospitals, community, and primary health centres, he said.Khyalia said that OPD, emergency, and post-mortem examinations have also been impacted.On Wednesday, four association members, including Khyalia, had also started an indefinite hunger strike in front of the office of the Health Services director general in Panchkula.The other demands of the doctors include no direct recruitment of senior medical officers and reduction in the bond amount for postgraduate courses.On the government’s invitation for talks on Thursday, Khyalia said, “We will attend the meeting but if there is no outcome, then our strike will continue indefinitely.”
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