The health services of Uttarakhand already reeling under the onslaught of novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic could get derailed if the agitating doctors and nurses of state health department go ahead with their work boycott threat. The Provincial Medical Health Services (PMHS), the powerful association of government doctors has given a call for an Out Patient Department (OPD) boycott from Wednesday (September 23) if their demands are not accepted by the government. The Uttarakhand Nursing Services Association, the union of nurses working in government hospitals and health centres has threatened to go on a work boycott from September 30. As a mark of their protest all the nurses are discharging their duties while wearing black armbands.

In support of their various demands the doctors of the state health services were on a path of agitation. However after talks with the chief minister recently they suspended their agitation. The PMHS resumed its agitation on Sunday after it claimed that its major demand on salary deduction has been cold shouldered by the government. The PMHS wants that the decision of salary deduction of one day should be taken back and complete salary and allowances should be paid to the medical students doing PG.

The nurses are also agitated at the decision of deduction of salary. The president of the association of nurses, Meenakshi Jakhmola said that apart from taking back the decision to deduct salary of one day, the government should approve the grade pay of Rs 5400 to the nurses.