SKIMS crises worsens as doctors decide to strike work

Srinagar: With government attaching Director SKIMS Dr A G Ahanger, along with suspending other three faculty members, the working at SKIMS has literally come to a standstill, with Resident Doctors Association (RDA) of the institute Tuesday deciding to strike work.

RDA in a statement said that the representatives of Association and Non-Gazetted Employees Welfare Association (NGEWA), SKIMS held a meeting on Tuesday and discussed the catastrophic situation at SKIMS due to the attachment of Director, SKIMS.

“It was declared that RDA, SKIMS shall continue their strike barring emergencies, Day Care Oncology and ICU Services,” the statement said, adding “furthermore NGEWA and all employees shall hold sit-in protest against sacking of the Director, SKIMS for two hours, 10 AM to 12 noon daily,” the statement said.

Notably, the health care system in the state has already taken a hit as the 10,000 odd Nation Health Mission (NHM) employees are already on strike from last several weeks, which is literally affecting the working of the hospitals in peripheries, in addition, putting enormous pressure on regular staff.

As per sources, the RDA on Monday had written to the government asking it to come up with facts and reasons about sacking of the Director and had sought reply in this regard in 24 hours, however, after receiving no reply from the government, RDA decided to go on strike.

The government, has, for now preferred to remain tight lipped regarding the sacking of Director SKIMS, and in case of NHM employees, the government has also preferred not to pay any heed to their demands, making it difficult for the healthcare system to run efficiently.

“Director SKIMS is not like an ordinary person, the government cannot sack him like he is nobody,” said a senior doctor at SKIMS, adding “it doesn’t work that way, no preliminary inquiry, no nothing and you go on and sack the Director for apparently no reasons.”

The current scenario seems to be grim, with extra load on regular employees working in peripheries, and now, SKIMS too going to have a crisis like situation, with no OPDs and no patient care in IPD.

 “The inefficiency which was already there has now turned out to be a fatal deadlock occurring within, which is unfortunate for the already limping healthcare system, which can now only collapse if not taken care of” said Dr Suhail Naik, President DAK.

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