Medical services across the state were hit as work at the out-patient departments (OPDs) remained suspended for the first part of the day at all public health centres on Monday in response to a strike call given by the Punjab Civil Medical Services Association (PCMSA) in support of its demands.
Emergency services and intensive care units, however, remained functional. Over 2,500 doctors went on three-hour strike to press for their demands that included restoration of the assured career progression scheme (ASP) and security measures at health institutions.
Elective or scheduled surgeries, medical examination for driving, arms licences and recruitments were among the services that were hit. VIP duties, dope tests, meetings, reports, enquiries and “kayakalp” assessments also remained suspended.
The strike, however, did not impact services such as post-mortem and medico-legal examinations, court evidence, judicial medical examinations and dispensing daily doses at outpatient opioid treatment centres.
On August 25, the PCMSA had given a call for the closure of OPD services from September 9 to 11, but in view of the persistent insistence by the state government to “moderate” the call for a few days to buy time for discussions with the Finance Department, it decided to close OPDs for the first half of the day only.