Haryana MBBS bond policy: OPD services in private hospitals suspended as doctors boycott work

NEW DELHI: OPD services in private hospitals in Haryana remained suspended on Monday as doctors affiliated to the Indian Medical Association boycotted work in support of MBBS students protesting against the state government's bond policy.

Emergency services at private hospitals in the state, however, remained operational. MBBS students at Pandit Bhagwat Dayal Sharma Post Graduate Institute of Medical Sciences (PGIMS) in Rohtak and some other medical colleges have been holding protests against the bond policy for the past three weeks.

The resident doctors of the PGIMS had also extended their support to the agitating MBBS students. Despite talks between the students and Haryana government officials over the bond policy, the standoff continued. IMA Haryana president Punita Hasija said OPD (outpatient department) services remained suspended for a day in the state. She said the action was taken in support of the protesting MBBS students. "We are standing in solidarity with the medical students,” she said.

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The IMA (Haryana) has written to Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar seeking rollback of the bond policy which, it says, is not in the interest of medical students. The demands of the MBBS students include a reduction in the duration of the compulsory government service from seven years to one and the bond default amount not exceeding Rs 5 lakh.

According to the bond policy, the MBBS students in government institutions will have to execute a tripartite bond (between student, bank and government) of Rs 40 lakh including fee at the time of admission. The aim of this policy is to ensure students serve for seven years in government facilities. If a student opts not to serve in the state government health institution after the completion of course then he or she will have to pay the amount.

The moratorium shall be extended in case a student wishes to pursue post-graduation. A meeting between representatives of MBBS students, resident doctors and the Haryana government officials remained inconclusive on Sunday. From the Haryana government side, V Umashankar, the principal secretary to the chief minister, additional chief secretary (medical education and research) G Anupama and Director (medical education and research) Aditya Dahiya were present.

On Saturday, Haryana CM Khattar had said that the issue was likely to be resolved soon. He had also said that the doubts of medical students regarding the bond policy were being cleared. Khattar had said that the bond policy does not mean to harass the family of any doctor or poor family. He had also said that this bond policy has been implemented to encourage MBBS students to choose government service to discharge their duties after completing their medical studies in government medical colleges.