All state district hospitals and health centres in Manipur brought down shutters on Tuesday morning following the indefinite shutdown call given by the All Manipur Health Services Doctors’ Association (AMHSDA) with effect from Tuesday in condemnation of the state government’s failure to meet their reduced demands.
The doors to district hospitals and other health centres remained locked with posters of shutdown notice pasted on it.
“Since the government is not taking seriously and neglected the demands agreed, indefinite shutdown of all Manipur Health Service (MHS) district health and health centres will come into force with effect from February 14, 2023,” the AMHSDA said in a release.
According to a statement by the AMHSDA signed by its general secretary Lolee P Mao issued on February 13 stated that the long-standing eight charter of demands was cut down to only four demands at the request of the government on November 14, 2022.
The four demands included the time bound/time scale promotion, extension of superannuation age of doctors to 65 years as administrative post, NPA as per 7th Central Pay Commission with effect from January 1, 2016 and major amendment of the outdated MHS rules 1982, it stated.
It accused the authorities of misinterpreting the charter of demands of the AMHSDA and announced that the association will begin the shutdown of MHS DH and health centres from Tuesday onwards as declared in the press conference at Manipur Press Club on February 11.
The four demands included the time bound/time scale promotion, extension of superannuation age of doctors to 65 years as administrative post, NPA as per 7th Central Pay Commission with effect from January 1, 2016 and major amendment of the outdated MHS rules 1982, it stated.
It accused the authorities of misinterpreting the charter of demands of the AMHSDA and announced that the association will begin the shutdown of MHS DH and health centres from Tuesday onwards as declared in the press conference at Manipur Press Club on February 11.
“Despite repeated appeals followed by assurances and commitments made to bring the issue in the cabinet meeting, not a single demand was granted to date. So far, 2 or 3 cabinet meetings were held but no AMHSDA demands were discussed. In the recently concluded assembly session on February 3, AMHSDA’s four demands were haphazardly presented and misinterpreted thereby misleading the public,” it stated.
It informed that in the 1982 census, Manipur's population was about 15 lakh and the WHO guideline states that there should be one doctor for a population strength of 1,000. The present strength of doctors in the state is 1,300 to 1,400 which still does not reach WHO standard and since the present population of the state is over 30 lakh, Manipur should have 3,000 doctors to reach the WHO guidelines, it mentioned.
“With regards to the administrative crisis as stated in the assembly, out of the approximately 100 group II doctors, 16 district CMOs, 7 Medical Superintendents, eight joint directors are in administrative posts and the rest are senior specialists and SNOs who are not administrative posts,” it stated.
AMHSDA demanded time scale promotion like other organised services which does not concern with the number of vacancies, it added.
RELATED:
Doctors threaten indefinite closure of health centres in Manipur
‘Government exploring all possibility to meet doctor’s demand, refrain from strikes’
Manipur government doctors threaten to resume strike
Manipur government hospitals paralysed as OPD shutdown begins
Manipur doctors to go ahead with OPD shutdown protest
