The lockout call given by the Uttarakhand chapter of Indian Medical Association (IMA) has adversely affected the health services as private hospitals and clinics remained closed on Friday. Over 2,000 private hospitals and private clinics are participating in the strike. In the State Capital, all the private hospitals and clinics, barring private medical colleges like Himalayan Hospital and Mahant Indiresh Hospital, remained closed on the day.
The general secretary IMA, Dr D D Chaudhury said that the strike would continue indefinitely and would be withdrawn only after the demand of incorporating changes in the provisions of the clinical establishment Act is accepted by the Government. “The strike was the last option we had and we had no choice since the Government was not heeding to our genuine demands. The ball in now in the court of the Government,’’ he said.
The association of the private medical practitioners are demanding the modified clinical establishment Act be implemented in the State at the earliest. It is also demanding that the clinical establishments should not be forced to adopt schemes like Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Atal Ayushman Yojana against their wish.
Notably, IMA had submitted an exhaustive draft document of the Uttarakhand Healthcare Establishments Act in December last which, according to it, should replace Clinical Establishment Act. IMA further demands the Act not being enforced in its present state.
It has suggested that Uttarakhand Government should follow the Haryana model of the Act where all the clinical establishments having less than 50 beds are exempted from the stringent provisions of the Act. It also wants reduction in registration charges.