Doctors observe black day against downsizing of PCMS cadre

Chandigarh, Mar 31 (UNI) The Punjab Civil Medical Services (PCMS) doctors and paramedic today observed 'black day' across the state in protest against the state government's decision to downsize the existing staff by handing over 1193 dispensaries to Zila Parishads and replacing them with doctors on contract basis.

''The state wide black day has been organised against the anti-employee and anti-doctor policies of the government as the doctors and the paramedical staff are being used as scapegoat to implement the Panchayati Raj in the state,'' PCMS Association president Dr Hardeep Singh said in a statement issued here.

The medical students unions of Patiala, Faridkot, and Amritsar medical colleges, the Punjab State Pharmacists Associations and paramedical and Class IV health services unions were black bladges as a mark of protests, he said.

''The government is shedding its responsibility to provide health care and exploiting the medical fraternity with hire and fire policy without any service benefits,'' the PCMS Association president said.

He said it was unfortunate that 1193 posts of PCMS doctors and pharmacists and 2,386 regular posts of class IV employees had been abolished with the decision of the government to hand over the dispensaries to the Zila Parishads with doctors on contract basis.

He said that the handing over of the dispensaries to the rural local bodies with the doctors on contract basis had already proved futile as several such dispensaries under various corporations and municipal committees were in a pathetic condition. ''The government is practicing old failed policies,'' he added.

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