Haryana Doctors Call Off Strike After State Government Assures to Address their Demands

New Delhi : Government doctors in Haryana, who had been on strike for the past two days, have called off their agitation. 

The Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA), the umbrella organization for these doctors, announced the suspension of the strike.

HCMSA Calls Off Strike after Receiving Govt's Assurances

After receiving assurances from the state government to address their demands by August 15, the HCMSA has called off the strlke. 

The decision to end the strike followed a crucial meeting between the protesting doctors and Amit Aggarwal, additional principal secretary to the Haryana chief minister, late on Friday. 

Dr. Rajesh Khyalia, president of the HCMSA, confirmed the development, stating, "The strike has been called off and all doctors have been asked to join duty from Saturday morning."

As the indefinite strike came to an end, 3,000 doctors who were on strike returned to the workforce

Why Were Haryana Doctors Protesting?

The strike, which began on Thursday, had led to disruptions in state-run hospitals, resulting in long queues at OPDs. 

During the strike, patients reported being attended to by interns and retired doctors. In response to the crisis, the state government had invited the doctors’ representatives for discussions in Chandigarh on Wednesday.

What Were the Demands of the Doctors?

The doctors' demands included the formation of a specialist cadre and a career progression scheme to ensure parity with central government peers. 

Additionally, the HCMSA sought a reduction in the ₹1 crore bond requirement for postgraduate course admissions and called for an end to the direct recruitment of senior medical officers, which impedes the promotion of medical officers who have served for over 20 years.