Patiala: Hundreds of young doctors walked off the job at Govt Medical College on Saturday, forcing a near-total shutdown of outpatient care and non-critical procedures here, as anger mounted over low stipends and compulsory service bonds in Punjab’s public health system.
More than 500 resident doctors and medical students launched an indefinite strike, paralysing services and demanding the state govt address what they call untenable working conditions.
At the heart of the protest are calls to scrap the two-year compulsory post-MBBS service bond and increase stagnant stipends, which the doctors say are among the lowest in the country.
“The govt has ignored repeated appeals. We’ve been left with no choice,” said Dr Ramandeep Singh, who led the protest alongside colleagues Dr Milan, Dr Mehtab Singh, Dr Akshay, and Dr Gurbhagat Singh. The doctors also oppose a proposed hike in MBBS tuition fees at govt colleges to Rs 10 lakh, which they argue will deepen the financial strain on students.
Patients seeking consultations and scheduled surgeries were turned away at the hospital gates, many voicing support for the doctors. “They’re the ones who save lives.
They shouldn’t have to protest for fair treatment,” said one patient outside the shuttered outpatient department. While emergency, maternity and critical child health services remain operational, the Resident Doctors Association has vowed to continue the strike until the govt offers written assurances.
