Doctors launch health centre shutdown stir
Source: Chronicle News Service
Senapati, February 14 2023:
As announced by All Manipur Health Services Doctors' Association (AMHSDA), all health institutions in the state have been closed down in protest against failure of the state government to fulfil the demands put forth by the Association.
Health institutions in different districts and sub-divisions remained shut with doctors declining to enrol for the OPD services.
Briefing media persons at District Hospital, Senapati on Tuesday, AMHSDA general secretary Dr Lolee P Mao stated that enough time was given to the government of Manipur and even after many assurances given by the government officials including the chief minister and the health minister, nothing has been done till date.
This stringent action of indefinite shutting down of all health institutions in the state was taken up after a press conference was held on February 11 last at Manipur Press Club, he reminded.
Dr Mao continued that the demands of the Association include time bound promotion to which the government had said that it cannot cede in the absence of vacant post.
Questioning rationale of the government's stand, the AMHSDA general secretary pointed out that the government has been entertaining time scale promotion to doctors at JNIMS which is under the Manipur Health Services and not to others.
Manipur Civil Ser vice and Manipur Police Service cadres are also given time scale promotion and as such the doc tors of Manipur Health Services should be entitled to similar time scale promotion, he emphasised.
Dr Mao also reiterated their demand for extending the age of superannuation of government doctors to 65 years as announced by the Prime Minister, while pointing out that Manipur has a population of more than 30 lakh people whereas, the number of doctors in the state is about 1300-1400, which in comparison to the population, the state should have at least 3,000 doctors.
Citing an example on lack on manpower, he pointed that the district hospital was closed down for some days due shortage of doctors in Tamenglong district.