The Jan Chetna Manch (JCM) staged protest on Monday with their single- point demand that the doctors, including the specialist doctors, be appointed immediately in the District Hospital and District Women Hospital at Pauri.
They also protested against the ‘indifferent attitude’ of the State Government regarding the worsening conditions of the hospitals and the plight of the patients there.
The protest rally involving hundreds of protestors went around the main markets of the town. Several organisations like the Students’ Union, Ex. Central Armed Police Force Personnel Association, District Retired Employees Association supported Jan Chetna Manch- led movement.
This aside, the common people participated in the movement in large number. If the State Government does not appoint doctors shortly the agitation will be intensified, warned the Manch convener Dalbir Singh Negi.
The Jan Chetna Manch protest demonstration started from the bus station, snaked through mall road, agency, upper bazaar and ended in the Collectorate.
The protestors raised slogans against the Uttarakhand Government, Health Minister and others. The protestors carried posters and banners with the demand of doctors in the district hospitals placed on them. The Jan Chetna Manch convener Dalbir singh Negi said if the demand to appoint doctors in the vacant posts in Pauri District Hospital are not met the agitation will be further intensified and the public will come out on the roads in large number in the coming days.
The common refrain is that the Health Minister has indifferent attitude for the district headquarter. It seems that the State Health Minster is more interested to appoint doctors at Kotdwar Joint Hospital that falls in his Assembly constituency than in meeting the demand for doctors at the district hospitals.
“He took prompt initiatives to appoint doctors a Kotdwar Joint Hospital. Things are such the number of doctors in Kotdwar Hospital is more than what the Pauri district hospital has,” the convener of the outfit, spearheading the stir, said.Chief Medical Superintendent of the District Hospital, however, said that two doctors, one child specialist and an eye surgeon have joined the District Hospital and now eight doctors are giving services there