DEHRADUN: Private doctors in the state continued their strike for the sixth day in succession on Wednesday. The health department had to instruct government doctors to work overtime in order to manage the sudden rise in the number of patients in the government health centers. Government doctors have also been asked not to take leaves.

Dr SK Gupta, Chief Medical Officer (Dehradun), said that the government doctors in all CHCs, PHCs, and hospitals in the state have been asked to work overtime when needed.

The private doctors are requesting amendments in the Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Act, 2010. The law provides for registration and regulation of all clinical establishments and specifies minimum standards of facilities and services provided to the patients. The Act aims on checking the charging of enormous amounts from patients and containing the unethical practices by private clinics.

The Uttarakhand government had passed the Act in 2016. However, it has not yet been enforced fully as the Indian Medical Association (IMA) (Uttarakhand) has been demanding an all new Uttarakhand Health Establishment Act. It is also being demanded that the alleged harassment of doctors under the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques Act, 1994 (PCPNDT) must stop.

Dr DD Choudhury, IMA state secretary, said that the strike would continue until the government agrees to their demands. (TNN)