Bathinda: Health services at the Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital in Bathinda remained paralyzed for the fourth consecutive day on Monday as employee unions continued their strike. The strike demands the release of a class IV staffer, Raj Singh, who was recently arrested by the vigilance bureau for allegedly conducting fake raids and blackmailing doctors.
Background and Arrest
Raj Singh, along with three others, was arrested on July 10 in Patran, Patiala. They were accused of conducting “fake raids” and blackmailing doctors. The group was part of a joint team formed under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PCPNDT) Act, intended to expose a racket of illegal gender determination tests. Raj Singh’s family has been protesting outside the civil surgeon’s office, demanding his release.
Impact on Health Services
Various wings of the health department have been on strike since July 11. On Monday, the protesting employees forced the suspension of the outpatient department (OPD), causing significant inconvenience to patients. The strike has also disrupted the registration of patients, further exacerbating the situation.
Patient Inconvenience
Patients have been severely affected by the strike. A woman from Talwandi Sabo reported that she was unable to get medicines for her husband, who recently underwent hip replacement surgery. A senior citizen complained about the suspension of diagnostic services, stating that he could not get an X-ray needed after an accident.
Doctors’ Solidarity and Ongoing Protests
Doctors had suspended OPD services on July 12 and 13 in solidarity with the non-medical staff. Although the doctors returned to work on Monday, the joint employees’ action committee, comprising workers from different health department wings, opposed the doctors’ decision, causing disruptions in the OPD.
Official Statement
Civil surgeon Dr. TS Dhillon clarified that no doctors were on strike but acknowledged that services were affected due to the ongoing protest. He stated that Raj Singh was an official member of a raiding team following a tip-off about illegal sex determination tests and that his service record was clean. Dr. Dhillon emphasized that the raiding team had recorded their statements with the vigilance bureau.
Conclusion
The strike at Shaheed Bhai Mani Singh Civil Hospital has highlighted the critical impact of employee protests on essential health services. As the situation continues, the authorities are urged to resolve the issue promptly to restore normalcy and ensure that patients receive the necessary medical care without further delays.
For more updates on this developing story, stay tuned to Sarhind Times.
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