Chandigarh doctors plan emergency strike over indefinite strike after West Bengal incident

Chandigarh

In the wake of the indefinite strike notice issued by the Association of Resident Doctors (ARD), PGIMER, commencing from today i.e. August 12, 2024 expressing solidarity with medical professionals following the recent unfortunate incident in West Bengal, PGIMER has devised a robust contingency plan to run the patient care services with available resources.

Prof. Koushal further shared, “ Outpatient Department (OPD) services will be curtailed, with the registration of only follow-up (old) patients  in respective departments from 8 AM to 9:30 AM. New patients will not be registered .

Regarding the patient care management of indoor patients, the Medical Superintendent informed, “The arrangements shall be made by the concerned departments. The indoor admissions shall be restricted to only for Emergency cases.

Responding to the strike call, Prof. Vivek Lal, Director PGIMER stated, “We understand the gravity of the situation and the concerns raised by our residents. The incident in West Bengal is a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities faced by healthcare professionals. While we stand in solidarity with the nationwide movement, we are equally committed to ensuring that patient care remains our utmost priority.”

“We are closely monitoring the situation and remain in constant dialogue with resident representatives to address their concerns while maintaining the highest standards of patient care, added Director PGIMER.

To manage the potential impact of the strike, Prof. Vipin Koushal, Medical Superintendent, PGIMER detailed about the Contingency Plan as he said, “In light of the ongoing strike, we have mobilized all available resources to ensure that patient services at PGIMER are not adversely affected. Emergency including Emergency Operation Theatre services  and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) services will proceed as usual, with resident doctors in place to handle critical cases.”

PGIMER is dedicated to maintaining high standards of patient care and service delivery during this challenging period and appreciates the cooperation of all stakeholders, concluded Prof. Koushal .