AMHSDA resolves to close hospitals from today
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 13 2023:
The All Manipur Health Services Doctors' Association (AMHSDA) has reiterated its stand to close all Government hospitals and suspend medical health services from tomorrow (February 14) onwards over the non-fulfilment of their demands by the Government.
Meanwhile, Health Director Dr Kh Sasheekumar Mangang has written to all Chief Medical Officers and Medical Superintendents of district hospitals to make sure all hospitals and health institutions continue to provide normal services as usual and take urgent actions against those who disrupt the hospital services.
The demands of AMHSDA include time bound promotion; extension of superannuation age of specialists and non-specialist doctors to 65 years; inclusion of NPA in the basic pay with effect from January 1 of 2016 as per the 7th Central Pay Commission; and amendment of the 'outdated' MHS Rules 1982 .
A press release issued by AMHSDA said that their long-standing eight demands were reduced to four on the request of the Government.
Saying that not a single demand of theirs has been entertained despite repeated assurance, the associations continued that their demand wasn't discussed in any of the recent Cabinet meetings too.
It went on to claim that their demand was haphazardly presented and misinterpreted in the recent Assembly session.
Saying that Manipur needs about 3000 doctors given the population size of the State, AMHSDA said that the present strength of doctors in Manipur, however, is only about 1400 and far below from the prescription given by WHO of 1 doctor per 1000 persons.
Claiming that the Government is not taking their demand seriously, the AMHSDA said that they have decided to close all Government hospitals from tomorrow.