Srinagar, Mar 2: Doctors Association Kashmir has strongly condemned the alleged harassment of doctors by the team of officers constituted by the divisional administration.
 “We fail to understand why the government is hell bent upon to tarnish the image of health department. The doctors in the health and medical education department have been serving in extreme tough conditions for last more than 20 years when all other departments were paralyzed. They faced many hardships during 20 year long turmoil. Now they are subjected humiliation and disrespect by some of the tainted officials with a corrupt past. We demand strong action against persons responsible for the leakage of video footage showing disrespectful attitude of the officials vis-à-vis doctors,” DAK said in a statement. 
 It said, “We are not against any action against erring doctors, but the way the raids are conducted is not justified. The practice by doctors not getting NPA is their right and can do it before or after official hours and during the night offs earned by them after putting rigorous duties extending from 18 to 36 hours at stretch.”
 The Association appealed to the doctors drawing NPA to refrain from private practice.
 It urged the government to adhere to the norms of health department and appoint the directors of hearth services from the department only and other top rank administrative posts on the basis of merit and seniority.
 “DAK opposes any move of the government to enhance the age of medical faculty in an isolated and specific manner, but demands age enhancement should be uniform for all the doctors working in health and medical education department. It demands rationalization of doctors’ posts so that the rendering of services by them become convenient and feasible both to themselves and patients, fulfilling of demand of 2 and1/2 days extra salary and risk and hardship allowance. It also demands proper residential facilities for specialist and other doctors posted at district hospitals, sub-district hospitals and other health institutions in far flung areas of State,” it said.

Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 21:30:00 Makkah time
Lastupdate on : Wed, 2 Mar 2011 18:30:00 GMT
Lastupdate on : Thu, 3 Mar 2011 00:00:00 IST