Journalism of Courage
Healthcare facilities in the state are set to suffer with close to 10,000 medical officers, about two-third of the state’s entire strength of medical practitioners, all set to submit resignations on Friday, even as the government has invoked MESMA, which does not allow doctors to go on strike.
The Maharashtra State Gazetted Medical Officers Organisation (MAGMO), under which 12,000 medical officers are registered, Thursday resolved to take the harsh step, after three days of strike to get their demands fulfilled failed to generate a positive response from the state government.
A notice has been issued to MAGMO by the state government, saying it has already invoked MESMA (Maharashtra Essential Services and Maintenance Act), 2011, a month ago. MESMA was invoked on June 1 when the doctors had gone on strike for implementation of their demands.
“The strike of medical officers is illegal and MESMA has been invoked,” Sujata Saunik, Principal Secretary, Public Health, told The Indian Express. “Return to work, otherwise face action,” was the stern warning given by the principal health secretary who met the medical officers to urge them to call off the stir. The medical officers have been issued notices under MESMA, Saunik said.
MESMA allows the government to penalise employees whose strike can adversely affect essential services to the public. In this case, all rural hospitals, district hospitals, sub-district hospitals and public health centres in the state are facing massive staff crunch. The public health department is now utilising the services of all doctors from the National Rural Health Mission and those on contract basis. Additionally, the 108 emergency medical service is being used to shuttle complicated cases to medical colleges.
Dr Rajesh Gaikwad, president of MAGMO who has been sitting on a hunger strike since July 1, said: “We gave the government sufficient time to accept our demands. Instead, they issued a notice of MESMA. Now we are going to resign, as MESMA will not affect us if we have resigned from our jobs.”
Gaikwad added that close to 10,000 medical officers had already submitted their resignations to him, which he would offer to the state government on Friday. “Our talks with the state health authorities have been unsuccessful,” Dr Manoj Khomane, president of Pune district of Maharashtra Association for Gazetted Officers (MAGMO) said.
The demands of the MAGMO include implementation of the Sixth Pay Commission’s recommendations for all state medical officers in the public health department with effect from January 1, 2006, and a pay hike. Other demands include increase in the retirement age from 58 to 62 years, regularisation of promotion procedure, optional non-practising allowance for medical officers pursuing PG and fixed working hours.
MAGMO has also sought absorption of the 789 ad hoc medical officers with Bachelor of Ayurvedic Medicine and Surgery (BAMS) degree and the 32 such officers with Bachelor of Dental Surgery (BDS) degree in government hospitals on permanent basis.
However, Health Minister Suresh Shetty said there was currently no provision to create additional posts for over 700 doctors. “We already approved their earlier demand of absorbing doctors permanently in 2004. Now, they have asked for creating additional posts for more doctors. The demands, which are feasible, will be approved but certain demands cannot be implemented.”
Shetty added that several rounds of meetings had already been held with the agitating doctors to discuss the issues. “The doctors cannot submit mass resignations. They have to come individually if they want to resign,” he said.
From Friday the civil surgeons and specialist doctors working at state-run hospitals besides district health officers (DHOs) and equivalent senior cadre officers posted at administrative offices of the state public health department will participate in the agitation. “We will boycott the government meetings as part of our agitation,” Dr Ashok Nandapurkar, secretary of the Civil surgeons cadre association said.
