The Arunachal Pradesh Doctors’ Association (APDA) stood by its decision to organise a two-day mass casual leave protest to press its demand for the transfer of Health Commissioner Pawan Kumar Sain, Health Secretary Ira Singal, and other demands. The two-day casual leave was taken after the government did not heed their demands, which also included timely career progression. Health services were affected across the state following the protest. However, the government made no effort to resolve the issue, even though the doctors’ organisation, one of the most influential (the other being the Arunachal unit of the Indian Medical Association), gave enough time for a response. At the very least, the government could have assured the doctors that their demands would be addressed in order to buy time and avoid the protest. Ignoring the demands of health workers only led to a shutdown of services in government hospitals across the state.
There are differences and demands that might be difficult to meet, but both the protesting doctors and the government must ensure that communication channels remain open. There is nothing that communication and negotiations cannot solve if conducted earnestly and with a positive mindset to resolve the issues and reach a compromise that ensures that health services are not disrupted. In the race to press for demands and the government’s reluctance to listen to grievances, the citizens who needed healthcare suffered for two whole days. This should not be repeated, as there is a heavy cost when crucial services, like healthcare, are denied to citizens because responsible organisations like the APDA and the state government refuse to listen to each other and instead choose to shut down communication channels.