PCMSA announces strike on Apr 22 against assault on doctor

The Punjab Civil Medical Services Association on Saturday announced that it will hold a statewide strike on April 22 to protest against the recent assault of a senior medical officer here.

Dr Sunil Bhagat, Senior Medical Officer, ESI (Employees State Insurance Scheme) Hospital, Hoshiarpur was allegedly assaulted by the attendant of a patient on Thursday.

President of PCMSA, Dr Akhil Sarin, said the strike intends to convey resentment and concern within the medical community following the attack, which has resulted in Bhagat being hospitalised in a critical condition.

The assault has incited widespread outrage among healthcare professionals throughout the state, he said in a statement.

As part of the strike, several crucial medical services will be temporarily suspended, including Outpatient Department (OPD) services, Elective Operation Theatres (OTs), and various medical examinations such as those for arms licenses, driving licenses, and drug tests.

Routine office work, meetings, video conferences, and VIP duties will be halted on Monday.

However, essential services such as emergency care, post-mortems, and medical examinations for prisoners will continue without interruption to ensure that critical healthcare needs are met during the strike.

The PCMSA has taken a resolute stance against violence targeting healthcare workers and is urging the government to take immediate action to enhance security measures at all public health centres across the state.

Sarin warned that failure to address these concerns could lead to further escalated actions by the association following the model code of conduct.