All the Government doctors will submit their resignation letters to Chief Minister Raghubar Das on October 15 as their long pending demand for implementation of Medical Protection Act (MPA), meant to protect nursing homes and hospitals Statewide from violent mob or ruckus, is yet to be implemented. The doctors’ body has unanimously decided to go on strike on October 28, 29 and 30. The decision is feared to bring entire health services at standstill in the State.
“The doctors association has been demanding to implement MPA since long. We now want this with immediate effect. This is beneficial for the patients and for protecting the hospital equipments. We are being given assurance every time but the government is not serious about it. If this continues, health services will be crippled completely as no doctors are willing to serve patients in Jharkhand looking at the present status,” said, IMA, Jharkhand Wing, Secretary, Dr Pradeep Kumar Singh.
“Approximately, 1800 government doctors are here while 4000 doctors are on sanctioned posts. Doctors will not be present on duty on October 28, 29 and 30 across the State. Private practitioners’ will join the strike on October 30. As many as
10,000 doctors will join hands for the execution of MPA. However, looking at the public interest, emergency and post mortem services will remain unaffected in State,” Singh pointed out.
Notably, the Act has already been implemented in 18 States across the country. The Act, which aims to protect doctors, nurses and hospitals from violent attacks of anti social elements, was approved in 2013 by the Government but notification for making it applicable is yet to be complete.
The law makes provision for three years of imprisonment and a fine of 50,000 for attacking doctors, nurses and medical setups under the act. Presently, the hospital administration works according to Clinical Establishments Act (Registration and Regulation), 2010 guidelines in State.
“Jharkhand has adopted the Act under clause (1) of article 252 of the Constitution. Nevertheless, doctors here have been demanding to rectify the Clinical Establishment Act too since long. The Act should be changed as per the State prerequisites by assuring all basic amenities to the doctors,” added Singh.
All the doctors present at IMA collectively added that the State government should reconsider the decisions of the practicing hours for doctors and institutional delivery facility immediately.
“The order of practicing hours from 9 am to 9 pm must be immediately reviewed by the State Government. Similarly, before ensuring institutional delivery facilities in all the PHCs proper electrification, water supply including blood banks facility must be ensured at the health centres across State. Emergency cases cannot be dealt at PHCs in the absence of proper medical support system,” he said.