Only emergency services from July 18-20
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 17
The Nagaland In-Service Doctors’ Association (NIDA) will resume its agitation from Monday (July 18) demanding the review of the cabinet decision on the superannuation issue of government doctors.
The Association had informed on July 11 that the agitation would resume phase-wise, first in the form of delivering only emergency services from July 18-20.
If there is no positive response during the phase-I, then the NIDA stated that there would be total shut down of all the health units in the Nagaland (total cease work) from July 21 for an indefinite period.
It must be noted here that increasing the superannuation age for government doctors has been a long-pending issue demand of the NIDA and similar agitations were witnessed earlier this year.
Long-pending issue
As per the Association, its demands are based on the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s announcement in 2016 to raise the retirement age of doctors in view of the acute shortage of doctors in the country. It further maintained that the State Government on April 17, 2021 had given a ‘written assurance’ via the Chief Secretary that the issue would be solved within a one-year's time.
With the expiry of the deadline and without any positive development, NIDA members staged a 3-day ‘mass casual’ leave protest from April 18-20.
It was to be followed by an indefinite strike thereafter but it was temporarily suspended and the State Cabinet on April 21 decided to increase the superannuation age of government doctors with some riders.
Among others, the superannuation age was increased to 62 years under the condition of ‘reemployment’ in clinical sector while for those interested or wanting to apply for medical colleges (upcoming), the age limit has been increased to 65 years.
However, the NIDA has been demanding the increase for “all medical doctors irrespective of clinical or administrative roles,” and had accordingly written to the Principal Secretary, Health and Family Welfare on April 26 and the Chief Minister on June 10 to “review the cabinet decision” while conveying its “dissent and inability to accept the decision.”
The Association on July 11 also questioned why contradictory word "re-employment" was used when the cabinet decided to raise the superannuation age of all the medical doctors from 60 to 62 years.
Meanwhile, several heath services related organisations have extended their support following the NIDA’s July 11 announcement for agitation.
On Sunday, the Angami Students’ Union, Central Nagaland Tribes Council, and the Nagaland Medicine Dealers Association extended their support to NIDA’s demand while similar endorsement were received from the Drugs Control Officers Association Nagaland and National Health Mission Employees Association Nagaland earlier.
