SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Feb 13: The state bodies of the Indian Medical Association (IMA) and Jharkhand Health Service Association (JHSA), the frontal organisation of government doctors have shot off a letter to chief minister Hemant Soren demanding action against Jamtara MLA Dr Irfan Ansari for using derogatory language against the civil surgeon.
The IMA secretary Dr Pradip Kumar Singh and JHSA secretary Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh while placing six points of demand including action against Dr Irfan Ansari in their joint letter have said that medicos of the state would be forced to launch a phase-wise agitation if these issues are not passed in assembly session starting from February 27.
Notably, IMA and JHSA are in anger over the language of Congress MLA Dr Irfan Ansari who had asked his supporters to bring the civil surgeon dragging to the dharna spot of striking ANM at Jamtara.
In their six points demand, IMA and JHSA have suggested chief minister amend the Clinical Establishment Act and exempt private hospitals below 50 beds in Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh to cater for requirements in rural areas.
IMA and JHSA demanded immediate implementation of the Medical Protection Act to check violence against doctors and health centres. Dr Pradip Kumar Singh and Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh also demanded the exemption of doctors from biometric attendance at par with police for emergency service.
“Doctors also attend emergency duty. So they must be exempted from biometric attendance for streamlining the services,” they said.
Dr Pradip Kumar Singh and Dr Thakur Mritunjay Kumar Singh said that the state government has announced Rs four lakh each to victims of the Dhanbad Ashirwad Tower fire incident. So IMA and JHSA demand the same compensation to Dr Vikash Hazra and his wife Dr Prema Hazra who died in the Dhanbad Hazara Hospital fire incident.
“Dr Saurabh Sharma, Assistant Professor of RIMS plastic surgery department who died in a road accident while going on duty should be also given Rs four lakh and his doctor wife Dr Khusboo should be given a job,” IMA, JHSA secretaries said.
IMA and JHSA have also urged the chief minister to make NOC for fire safety conditions lenient and exempt the bedless health centre from this Act.
“Demands were unanimously decided at the joint meeting of AIM, and JHA held at Ranchi on February 5. So hold a meeting with IMA and JHSA over the issues and get it passed in the assembly session,” said both secretaries in their letter.
Dr Singh and Dr Thakur said that doctors of the state feel cheated as the government has so far only given assurances and never implemented any promise.
