The indefinite shutdown call given by the All Manipur Health Services Doctors’ Association (AMHSDA) came into effect from February 14, paralysing the state health services.
Shutters were brought down across district hospitals and health centres in Manipur, as the strike called by the doctor’s association in condemnation of the state government’s failure to meet their reduced demands, resumed on February 14.
The doors to district hospitals and other health centres remained locked with posters of shutdown notice pasted on it.
“Since the government is not taking seriously and neglected the demands agreed, indefinite shutdown of all Manipur Health Service (MHS) district health and health centres will come into force with effect from February 14, 2023,” the AMHSDA said in a release.
A statement issued on February 13 by the AMHSDA and signed by its general secretary, Lolee P. Mao, stated that the long-standing eight charter of demands was reduced to only four demands on November 14, 2022, at the request of the government.
It stated that the four demands included a time-bound or time-scale promotion, an extension of the doctor's retirement age to 65 years for administrative positions, NPA in accordance with the 7th Central Pay Commission as of January 1, 2016, and a significant modification to the out-of-date MHS rules from 1982.
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