Haryana: Government doctors across Haryana commenced a two-day statewide strike on Monday, following a call by the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA), disrupting healthcare services including OPDs, emergency care, and surgeries. The strike is aimed at pressing demands such as halting the direct recruitment of Senior Medical Officers (SMOs) and issuing notifications for the already approved Modified Assured Career Progression (ACP) structure.
In Karnal, authorities deployed consultants, directly recruited specialists, and doctors from Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College (KCGMC) to maintain essential services. Despite these measures, the staffing proved insufficient for the daily patient load of approximately 1,500 at Karnal District Civil Hospital. Long queues formed outside OPDs as patients struggled to access their regular doctors.
Dr. Sanjay Verma, district president of HCMSA, explained, “We are not in favour of a strike, but we have been compelled to take this step. We have taken two days of mass leave.” He emphasized that while the Chief Minister had accepted both demands last year, the modified ACP structure has yet to be implemented. Verma warned that an indefinite strike could begin from December 10 if the demands are not met.
The strike follows recent discussions between doctors and state authorities. On December 3, HCMSA representatives met with Health Minister Arti Singh Rao, Additional Chief Secretary Sudhir Rajpal, and other senior officials. This was followed by a December 5 meeting with Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, Chief Principal Secretary to the CM Rajesh Khullar, Sudhir Rajpal, and Director General Health Dr. Manish Bansal. While the state agreed to halt direct recruitment of SMOs, the ACP implementation remained pending.
Not all medical personnel participated in the strike. Directly recruited specialists chose to continue their duties, ensuring some continuity of services. Civil Surgeon Dr. Poonam Chaudhary stated, “We have appointed consultants, directly recruited specialists, and doctors from KCGMC to ensure smooth functioning. No major disruption has been reported so far.”
Patients expressed frustration over delays and limited access to their usual doctors. One patient, Angrej, said, “I came to the Civil Hospital to see the doctor I have been following, but now I have to consult someone else. The waiting time was over two hours.”
As the two-day strike continues, the state’s healthcare system faces mounting pressure, with the possibility of a prolonged strike if the HCMSA’s demands remain unresolved.
