SHIMLA: Soon after the doctors’ pen down strike got the support of Himachal Pradesh Congress, state government today gave additional charge of the director health services to Dr Gopal Beri, deputy mission director, NHM to avoid further confrontation with the doctors.
HP Medical Officers Association(HPMOA), however has decided to continue the pen- down strike from 9:30 AM to 11:00 AM tomorrow as well.
The HPMOA delegation of doctors led by the president Dr Anupam Badan and gen secretary Dr Dushyant Thakur met with the Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur today in Mandi and reiterated their pending demands with the government.
They told CM that their demands were not fulfilled despite assurance given to them by him earlier when they had called off the strike.
The post of director should be filled by promoting the joint director, the time scale of 4-9-14 of medical officers in new pay commission should be implemented soon.
They should get enhancement in PG allowance, the faculty members in medical colleges should get the academic allowance.
The doctors on contract, who have not got the grade pay 150 per cent honorarium, should get it soon.
They opposed extension to the officers who are retired.
The doctors today came out from the duty hours and staged protest in front of their respective hospitals in the state.
HPMOA general secretary Dr Dushyant Thakur said the pen down strike would continue tomorrow as well. The doctors will decided the course of action tomorrow, he asserted. 
Cashing in on the anger of the doctors, Himachal Pradesh Congress has shuffled in support of the doctors who staged their pain down strike in support of their demands in various health institutions across the state today.
Congress President and Mandi Lok Sabha MP, Pratibha Singh has expressed concern over the strike of doctors charging that the health services are already in bad shape due to the neglect of the government in the state and in such a situation the people are facing a lot of problems.
The pen-down strike of doctors is a matter of great concern. She has said that the government is busy with its election rallies and is not worried about the people of the state.
Pratibha Singh has urged the Chief Minister to immediately talk to the doctors and fulfil their demands. She said that the demands of the doctors are completely justified.
She urged the doctors to fulfil their duty with integrity, keeping in view the problems of the people. She said that the Congress will fulfil their demands after coming to power.
Pratibha Singh said that the doctors have been meeting the government officials regarding their demands and the government is just ignoring them.
This shows the insensitivity of the government towards the doctors, which is very unfortunate, she said.
