Medical services to hit as doctors go on strike tomorrow

AMBALA: While Haryana logged over 5,000 coronavirus cases on Sunday, medical services in the state are likely to be hit as government doctors are scheduled to hold on Tuesday a statewide strike against their three pending demands.

At least 3,000 doctors under the banner of Haryana Civil Medical Services Association will shut out-patient departments (OPDS) services at all government hospitals on January 11 and all medical services, including Covid and emergency duties, on January 14, state president Dr Jasbir Singh Parmar said.

They are demanding hiring of specialist doctors, stopping direct recruitment of senior medical officers and revision of the postgraduate policy.

Earlier, the doctors were scheduled to observe a similar strike on December 13, but postponed it after a meeting with health minister Anil Vij, who had assured them that all their issues will be resolved.

Dr Parmar said since there was no solution till December 31 as assured by the minister, the doctors are bound to go on a strike against the “insensitive” government.

Haryana adds 5,166 new infections to its tally

Haryana on Sunday recorded 5,166 fresh Covid infections (including 13 Omicron cases), pushing the total active cases tally to 18,298.

According to the health bulletin, 41,109 samples were tested in past 24 hours out of which 5,166 new cases were detected with Gugugram reporting the highest 2,338 new infections. Meanwhile, health minister Anil Vij said that 980 medical officers (Haryana Civil Medical Services Group-a) will be recruited soon.

31 more staffers at PGIMS tests positive

Thirty-one staff members of Rohtak’s Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) have tested positive on Sunday, taking the total number of infections among employees to 107 in just four days.