SHILLONG:
Medical services in the state are likely to be affected on June 28 as doctors under the banner of the Meghalaya Medical Services Association (MMSA) will completely cease work in protest against the government’s failure to take action against the Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) authority.
Sources in the association said that the MMSA, which had threatened to resort to a series of agitations against government’s apathy towards the issue on June 24, has called for a 24-hour complete cease work starting from 9 am on Tuesday..
“The state executive committee (SEC) of the association has decided that as the government did not respond to the demands of the MMSA there is no other alternative but to resort to agitational programs which will be informed accordingly,” the MMSA general secretary R Pohsnem, in a letter to the secretary in-charge Health and Family Welfare, after an emergent meeting of the SEC, on June 24, had said.
“The MMSA has further decided that it will take necessary steps if the government fails to take immediate measures to resolve the matter,” the letter had warned.
Earlier on June 1, the association, in a letter to Health Minister James K Sangma, had demanded an inquiry against the registrar and Director of Indian Institute of Public Health (IIPH) for falsely portraying the Director of Health Services (MI) Aman War in poor light in the media.
Expressing “shock” at the alleged decision of the Principal Secretary in-charge Health and Family Welfare, Sampath Kumar to take sides with the IIPH instead of hearing the DHS (MI) side of the story into the May 27-incident at the old NIFT building at Pasteur Hills, Lawmali, MMSA president Y Phira in the letter had said, “We have decided to earnestly urge you to consider immediate enquiry into the actions of War for falsely portraying the DHS (MI) in poor light in the media, who was exercising and discharging his duties as officially vested upon, and take appropriate action.”
The MMSA had also demanded that the IIPH, Shillong campus, be moved out of the current office space provided to them in the already congested office of the Deputy Director Malaria.
“This is demotivating and demoralising for all medical doctors which in the long run will affect the smooth delivery of health care services in the state,” the MMSA had said.
The MMSA had also urged upon the government to revisit the memorandum of understanding, which was entered into between the government and Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI).