By Lalit Tewari, November 16 : Chief Minister Major General (Retd.) Bhuwan Chandra Khanduri met a delegation of doctors from the Provincial Medical and Health Services Association and the Indian Medical Association (IMA) who called on him at his office at the Secretariat here, on Wednesday. The delegation members led by Neurosurgeon Dr. Mahesh Kuriyal of IMA submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister containing their charter of demands.
Chief Minister Shri Khanduri told the visiting delegation that he would go into the various demands that have been raised by the medical professionals. He assured the medical officers that the Government would fully keep their interests in mind.
Among other things, the PMS doctors expressed their concern at the paucity of medical professionals in the hills, but said that raising the retirement age from 60 to 62 years by the Government is neither a permanent solution to the problem nor is it in the interest of the State. On the occasion, the PMS doctors’ Association demanded that the Government should implement Dynamic Assured Career Progression (DACP) scheme on completion of 4, 8, 15 and 20 years of service to attract young medical graduates to the State medical and health services and to raise the spirit of service and confidence of senior and experienced doctors. They said that these measures would go a long way in removing the shortage of doctors in remote and far flung areas of the State.
The IMA memorandum put forward the demand for promulgation of legal provisions for security of medical professionals in the hospitals in the State. In response to the demand, CM Shri Khanduri said that the task of doctors is a challenging one. The doctors must deal with the patients in a courteous manner. Medical service is an altruistic service and the obligation should be fulfilled accordingly. Besides, sometimes somewhere some circumstances do arise when patients resort to unruly behaviour out of their own helplessness, but the doctors should continue to behave with such patients in a guardian–like manner.
On the occasion, the delegation members also congratulated Chief Minister Shri Khanduri for his initiatives in eradicating corruption and promoting good governance and public service in the State. They expressed their appreciation to the Chief Minister for the passage of the Lokayukta Act, and the Right to Public Service Act.
Those who were present on the occasion include the President of PMS Association Dr. BC Ramola, General Secretary Dr. RV Singh, Dr. Birendra Jangpangi, Dr. SD Joshi of the Doon Hospital, President of IMA (Uttarakhand) Dr. Nand Kishore, Secretary Dr. Parveen Jindal, and Dr. DD Chaudhary, among others.