HT Bureau
IMPHAL, Dec 27: All Manipur Health Services Doctors’ Association (AMHSDA) has suspended its proposed two-day OPD closure strike temporarily after the assurance of the State Government.
The decision was taken after the AMHSDA held a meeting with the delegation of the Manipur Government comprising the Health minister, additional chief secretary, Health & Family Welfare Services, and director, Health Services.
”To work out a logical and amicable resolution, discussion point by point, and after mutual understanding and assurances, the Government Representatives agreed and assured to prepare and put up in the December 2022 Cabinet Meeting at the earliest before month end. On common understanding and trust the 2 (two) days OPD services Shut Down w.e.f. 27th December 2022 followed by indefinitely will remain suspended temporarily until further notification,” Dr. Lolee P Mao, general secretary, AMHSDA said in an official statement.
On December 26, the organisation had called for a 2-day closure of OPD services starting December 27, followed by indefinite closure over various demands pertaining to scale promotion, and extension of superannuation of age to 65 years.
The decision to close health services, including OPDs, was made following a joint meeting of AMHSDA executives, CMOs, and their doctors and nurses in Bishnupur and Thoubal.
According to an AMHSDA statement, they are simply demanding their basic and fundamental rights for time bound/scale promotion, superannuation age extension to 65 years, NPA fixation with effect from January 1, 2016, as per the 7th CPC, and the amendment to the outdated Manipur Health Services Rules 1982.
It stated that, in response to a request from the Government, they had reduced the charter of demands to only four.
However, for nearly two years, the Government has ignored their demands, as alleged by the association.