Concerning the grievances of patients owing to an indefinite strike launched by the All Manipur Health Services Doctors' Association (AMHSDA), the All Tribal Students Union Manipur (ATSUM) has urged the state sovernment to sort out the problems with the association and bring the strike to an end very soon to avoid before it become disastrous.
The student body stated that as a result of the ongoing indefinite strike enforced by AMHSDA, poor patients, who are in need of hospitalisation but who could not afford private hospital fees, have borne the brunt of the standoff between the government and the doctors.
It also stated that the prolonged strike by the doctors will prove disastrous to the public and as such the issue needs to be settled at the earliest.
ATSUM stated that it has been learned that the indefinite strike was called by the association as a final course of action as the government has failed to consider the demands of the doctors despite repeated appeals and assurances made to discuss the issues in the cabinet meetings.
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The demands of the doctors include a time-bound promotion, enhancement of superannuation age to 65 years, creation of several director posts, NPA as per 7th Pay Commission, implementation of proposed MHS Rules 2020, etc.
Recalling the state health minister who reportedly had gone on record stating that the demands of the association as legitimate and need to be addressed, ATSUM wondered as to why the government is sitting on the demands of the doctors for so long if the charter of demands is considered legitimate.
Urging the state Government to resolve the issue at the earliest, ATSUM stated that the government has to come up with a reasonable explanation and sort out its problems with the association and bring this strike to an end.
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