Yog Raj Sharma
The North News
Shimla, December 27
Health services across Himachal Pradesh were disrupted on Friday as resident doctors went on an indefinite strike to protest the termination of a colleague at the Indira Gandhi Medical College (IGMC) in Shimla. Indira Gandhi Medical College officials said routine surgeries had been suspended following the strike by the Resident Doctors Association (RDA), though emergency operations continued. After strict government directions, assistant professors, associate professors and professors were deployed in outpatient departments to attend patients.
The strike follows the termination of Dr Raghav Nirula, accused in a scuffle with a patient. Resident doctors staged a demonstration on the IGMC campus, demanding that the dismissal be withdrawn. RDA president Dr Sohel Sharma said the doctor’s version of events had not been adequately considered. “The termination must be revoked. Until then, the strike will continue,” he said, also calling for stronger security measures for doctors in hospitals.
Meanwhile, the Department of Medical Education and Research (DMER) issued a standard operating procedure instructing that treatment and academic activities at medical colleges and hospitals should not be disrupted during the strike, while ensuring emergency services remain functional.
The RDA has claimed that Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu assured them that their demands would be considered. Despite this, doctors proceeded with the strike, leaving patients across the state facing difficulties.
The protest has received support from the Himachal Medical Officers Association (HMOA) and the State Association of Medical and Dental College Teachers (SAMDCOT).
