Talking with TNIE, Dr Akhil Sarin, president of the Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) Association of Punjab said, “If commitment made by the government is not met within the stipulated time frame then the doctors will be forced to follow the path of agitation.” He said that on October 21, a letter was written to the state health and family welfare secretary requesting a meeting regarding a review of the implementation of security provisions. “On September 11 the association met with the cabinet subcommittee and received a written assurance that a comprehensive security framed work at all the 24/7 centres of the state would be put in place within a week of the meeting and also the government agreed to the implementation of dynamic assured carrier progressions (DACPs) within 12 weeks of the meeting but nothing happened on the ground,’’ he added.The ACP scheme provides financial benefits and higher pay scales to government employees.”After the meeting, the state health minister announced and reiterated that the assurances will be implemented within the stipulated time frame. However even after the lapse of six weeks, no on-ground steps for implementation of the assurances are perceptible, ‘’ he said.The PCMS Association has been demanding a detailed assessment of each health facility to determine optimal security guards. For a 200-bed hospital ten guards during day time and four at evening and night hours. For the sub-district level hospitals, six security guards and at the community health centre, four guards.Besides security guards, visitor passes for people coming to see the patients, installing CCTVs and improving lighting in hospital campuses are also recommended.Earlier on September 14 the PCMS doctors, who had suspended OPD services since September 9, announced that they would be resuming duties after assurance from state health minister Dr Balbir Singh.
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