Although State Government doctors have called off their proposed three-day strike, the plight of the patients has not reduced due to the ongoing strike called by the agitated staff nurses and lab technicians in the Government hospitals across the State.
However, health department claimed that alternate arrangements were made by the department for redressing the grievances of IPD (In Patients Department) and OPD (Out Patients Department) patients, but their plights were not curtailed due to the ongoing strike called on by the agitated staff.
All those patients who visited district hospitals and health centres were among the major sufferers due to the ongoing strike by the agitated staff nurses under the banner of Uttarakhand Nurses Services Association (UNSA) and lab technicians.
While speaking to The Pioneer, Krishna Rawat, State general secretary,
UNSA, said that the delegation of the association had series of meeting with the department higher officials and the agitated staff nurses have decided
to postpone their strike till January 8 and further cleared that the members will hit the roads if their demands are not fulfilled by the State Government in the given time frame.
She said that the agitated staff nurses have been doing one shift duty as per the Medical Council of India (MCI) norms in the Government hospitals and timely promotion, pay anomaly, benefits of six pay commission, appointment of the registrar etc. are the few main pending demands of the association.
Meanwhile, Rakesh Rawat, State president, Uttarakhand Medical lab Technician Association lamented that series of meetings were held with top bureaucrats, but the State Government is yet to take steps for fulfilling the year long pending demands of association.
He said that that the increase in the salary and perks of the lab technicians, filling the vacant posts of lab technicians in the district hospitals and health centres, promotion of lab technicians etc. are nine year long pending demands of association.
Meanwhile, among the worst suffers were the OPD (Out Patients Department) who were although diagnosed by the medical officers in the district hospitals and health centres but their pathological investigations were not taken place in the Government hospitals.
Additionally, the work of blood bank was also severally affected due to the agitation. The agitators lab technicians have also threatened to continue with their strike till their pending demands are met by the State Government.
Rawat told the delegation of the association met top bureaucrats on Monday and the members have decided to relax agitation.
According to him, the delegation of the association will meet State Health Minister Surendra Singh Negi on Tuesday and hoped that their year long pending demands would be fulfilled by the State Government.