Assam: AMSA Boycotts OPD Services

The Assam Medical Service Association (AMSA) has boycotted Out Patient Department (OPD) services for three days starting Monday (November 1) in protest against the government.

The AMSA started its agitation from October 19 and decided to continue until the government meet their demands. "If the government don't meet our demands then we will take even more dangerous steps. We also had a meeting with health minister and although he assured us to fulfil our demands, it has not yet been fulfilled," said Kanak Chandra Talukdar, General Secretary of AMSA.

He further stated that as per Indian Public Health Standard, there should be 1 doctor against 3000 patients but in Assam there is only 1 doctor against 5000 patients. There are 4420 posts of doctors in Assam but only 3038 posts are filled up and remaining 1482 posts are still vacant and the government is least bothered to fill up the vacant posts.

The demands of the AMSA include cadre revision, time-scale promotion for Health (A) doctors, two advance increments to Diploma Holder of Srimanta Sankaradeva University of Health Sciences (SSUHS), pay for Health (A) doctors to be at par with the doctors of Central Government/Doctors of Health (B)/ other Northeast States, timely promotions for Health (A) doctors at all levels, increase in PG seats for Health (A) doctors, paying Health (A) doctors for evening OPD service, rent-free quarters for Health (A) doctors, security to all health service providers of Health (A) and immediate measures to fill up vacant posts of doctors.

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