Newmai News Network
Imphal | November 11
Doctors of the Manipur Health department posted at various districts on Friday joined the chorus demanding an eight-point charter of demands placed by the All Manipur Health Services Doctors’ Association (AMHSDA) to the Manipur government. Joining the chorus, doctors posted in Tamenglong and Bishnupur districts staged sit-in-protests at the district hospital premises of the respective districts on Friday.
Reports said that doctors serving at the district hospitals as well as other healthcare centres like community health centres and primary health centres also participated in the protests.
While participating in the protests, the doctors wore black badges, the reports added.
Doctors of the Health department under the aegis of AMHSDA were holding sit-in-protest starting from November 8 while showing strong resentment against state government’s indifference towards addressing their demands.
The AMHSDA has been demanding time-bound promotion for the doctors serving in the state Health department, extension of retirement age of specialist and non-specialist doctors up to 65 years and creation of director general post for directorates of health services, family welfare services and public health and medical education.
The association also demanded fixation of Non-practicing Allowance (NPA) with retrospective effect from January 1, 2016 as per the 7th Central Pay Commission (CPC), strict adherence to transfer and posting policy of health services 2017, allowing MHS doctors to take top posts on seniority basis, implementation of proposed MHS rules 2020 and amendments and provision of allowances for postings in difficult areas.
Taking part in the protest staged at Bishnupur district hospital campus, district malaria officer Th Nabakishore said that multiple memoranda and an ultimatum have been submitted to the Manipuri government to address their demands.
However, no positive response came forth so far.
He said that the Centre had ordered increasing the age of superannuation for medical staff to 65 years starting in May 2016 and the state government had also implemented the same in state-run JNIMS hospital from August last year.
The superannuation age of both specialist and non-specialist doctors of JNIMS have increased to 65 years. However, doctors serving under the Health department retire from service upon superannuation at 62 years.
