Doctors grieving relentlessly, Govt in silent mode
- The People's Chronicle Editorial :: November 16, 2022 -

FOR almost a week now, doctor members of All Manipur Health Services Doctors' Association (AMHSDA) have been staging sit-in demonstration demanding fulfilment of their eight-point demands centring on compatible salary, streamlining promotional provisions and bifurcation of administrative heads among others.

After launching the agitation in a symbolic manner by donning black badge while still discharging duties at their respective place of duty, the medical professionals have been staging sit-ins in different districts to draw attention of the government authorities but to no avail as the establishment is neither issuing any statement to counter the Association's allegation of mistreatment of the doctors nor inviting the aggrieved party for negotiation across the table.

Notably, the doctors started their agitation a few days after chief minister N Biren and his cabinet colleagues heaped praise on the doctor fraternity for their selfless service to the people during the peak of Covid-19 pandemic.

Laying the foundation stone for establishment of a multi-speciality hospital of a private hospital on November 6, CM Biren had stated that the government is according to special priority towards improving the health services and education sectors and exuded confidence that the problem of shortage of medical doctors could be addressed as 100-150 doctors would complete MBBS courses every year from the two government of Manipur-run medical colleges, including the recently established medical institute in Churachandpur district.

Along with confiding about the government's plan to set up more medical colleges in other select districts, he conveyed gratitude to the health department personnel with special reference to the doctors for their dedicated service when the pandemic nearly led to total collapse of the health sector.

Regardless of the CM eulogising role and contribution of the healthcare workers in not only tackling the health crisis but also saving numerous precious lives through timely intervention and innovative treatment procedures, the state's doctors resorting to staging protest demonstrations underscore that mere words of praise wouldn't suffice if their plight and core issues are ignored.

Since day one of the sit-in protest that kicked started from the Lamphelpat complex of Indian Medical Council (IMA), the agitating doctors have been consistently highlighting that staff members working under the Medical Department are denied time-bound promotion opportunities, which tantamount to deprivation of natural justice.

Along with drawing the government's attention for compassionate consideration on promotion for Health Services doctors who have been denied of the same for the last 15-20 years, the other demands include
impartial extension of service superannuation age of all doctors working in the state to 65 years as had been announced by PM Narendra Modi on May 22, 2016;
actual implementation of the 7th CPC effective in Manipur since April, 2020 compared to the same implemented in other states in 2016;
creation of post of director generals and bifurcation of directorates of Public Health Services and Medical Education;
fixation of non-practising allowance with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016 as per 7th CPC;
and strict adherence of Transfer and Posting Policy of Health Services 2017.

As the demands seem legitimate and in accordance with existing guidelines, the only reason why the government is not according importance could be that the doctors wouldn't hit the streets or impose bandh/blockade, as had been the general mode of agitation whenever aggrieved parties lose faith in the government.