Manipur doctors take mass leave; calls for total closure of OPDs, Emergency services

Health services in Manipur are likely to be severely disrupted today, as the All Manipur Health Services Doctors' Association has asked for a total shutdown of OPDs and Emergency services under Manipur Health Services.

Doctors had gone on a mass casual leave earlier in the day. This had a negative impact on health care in various areas around the state. When approached, the All Manipur Health Services Physicians Association (AMHSDA) stated that 70% of the total of roughly 1,300 doctors had taken mass casual leave.

The doctors have demanded a time-bound promotion, extension of superannuation age to 50 years, making no-practicing allowance effective from January 1, 2016, as per the 7th pay commission, and amendment of outdated Manipur Health Services Rules, 1972.

The term "independent" refers to a person who does not work for the government "Government is buying time and will totally ignore the doctor's requests. Government in the prior meetings have already provided a verbal guarantee to satisfy at least 4 demands out of 8."

Prior to this, the disgruntled physicians had held sit-in protests as well as went on relay hunger strike asking that the government implement their demands.