# Free Diagnostic Tests Halted at Himachal State Hospitals as Unpaid Dues Trigger Staff Strike > Thousands of patients in Himachal Pradesh face severe hardship as free diagnostic services in state-run hospitals halt following an indefinite strike by laboratory staff over Rs 130 crore in pending dues. **Type:** article · **Category:** Himachal Pradesh · **Published:** 2026-11-03 · **Source:** TrendKia **Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/himachal-pradesh/sarakari-aspatalon-men-muphta-jancha-bnda-hone-se-marija-behala-bakaya-vivada-ke-bicha-krsnaa-diagnostics-karmachariyon-ka-kamakaj-55811 · **Language:** English **Tags:** Himachal Pradesh Healthcare, State Hospitals, Free Diagnostic Tests, Shimla IGMC, Lab Strike, Salary Dues, Medical Services A severe healthcare crisis has gripped state-run medical facilities across Himachal Pradesh as essential free clinical testing services have ground to an abrupt halt. The disruption stems from an unresolved financial impasse between the state authorities and the diagnostic service provider, leaving thousands of regular outpatients and admitted individuals stranded without routine medical investigations. ## Indefinite Staff Strike Triggered by Rs 130 Crore in Pending Dues At the center of the dispute lies an outstanding payment of approximately Rs 130 crore that the state administration has failed to clear over an extended period. This severe financial backlog directly disrupted operational liquidity, leaving laboratory employees without their regular monthly salaries for the past 2 to 3 months. Faced with sustained economic hardship, the operational workforce launched an indefinite strike across all designated centers. The sweeping demonstration brought diagnostic machinery and sample collection desks to a complete standstill throughout the state, freezing all routine pathology services. ## Massive Disruption at IGMC in State Capital Shimla The operational shutdown has created extensive chaos at major healthcare institutions, most notably at IGMC in Shimla. Under normal circumstances, this premier tertiary care facility handled diagnostics for an estimated 700 to 800 patients on a daily basis. Those individuals routinely benefited from thousands of clinical tests conducted entirely free of charge under official welfare provisions. With the dedicated counters now closed, visitors arriving from distant hilly belts find themselves unable to obtain essential diagnostic reports despite carrying prescriptions from attending physicians. ## Vulnerable Families Forced into Expensive Private Diagnostics The burden of this institutional gridlock falls most heavily upon economically vulnerable families who rely exclusively on public healthcare to manage treatment expenses. With internal hospital facilities suspended, patients are left with no choice but to seek commercial diagnostic laboratories operating outside medical premises. Commercial testing centers charge substantial out-of-pocket fees for these diagnostic packages, draining the personal finances of low-income households. The impasse between governing bodies and the operating enterprise has effectively transformed a corporate accounting backlog into a direct financial and clinical penalty for ordinary citizens, who now await administrative intervention to restore normal healthcare services. ## What this means for you The sudden suspension of free diagnostic tests in state facilities imposes unexpected medical expenses on patients. - **In Himachal Pradesh:** Free testing at public hospitals remains completely unavailable due to the ongoing walkout. Residents must now pay out of pocket at external private facilities to obtain essential pathology tests. - **Across India:** The disruption highlights operational vulnerabilities in public-private partnership models in public health systems. Observers and citizens in other regions face concerns over how contract disputes can rapidly halt critical welfare programs. - **Household Expenses:** Patients are forced to pay market rates at commercial diagnostic centers for basic medical tests. This creates an immediate financial burden on daily-wage earners and low-income families seeking treatment. - **Treatment Delays:** Without timely laboratory results, healthcare practitioners face delays in prescribing targeted medical therapies. Patients with progressive conditions risk slower diagnoses until administrative services resume normal function. ## Why this happened The crisis emerged following prolonged delays in government disbursements that subsequently halted employee payrolls. - **Unpaid Dues:** The state administration has withheld approximately Rs 130 crore in accumulated dues owed to the diagnostic firm. This massive liquidity freeze prevented the operational enterprise from maintaining normal service infrastructure. - **Salary Delays:** Starved of operational funds, the agency failed to pay staff wages for 2 to 3 months. The resulting financial distress compelled the technicians and staff to launch an open-ended work stoppage. - **Unresolved Impasse:** An absence of prompt administrative intervention allowed the contractual dispute to escalate into a frontline shutdown. Normal diagnostic testing is expected to remain suspended until official settlement talks resolve the billing backlog. ## Questions & Answers ### 1. Why have free diagnostic tests stopped in Himachal Pradesh state hospitals? Laboratory staff initiated an indefinite strike over unpaid wages, leading to a complete halt of free testing operations. ### 2. Why were the laboratory workers not paid? The operating firm has around Rs 130 crore in pending payments withheld by the state government, leaving staff without salaries for 2 to 3 months. ### 3. How many patients are affected daily at IGMC in Shimla? Roughly 700 to 800 patients who previously accessed thousands of free diagnostic tests every day are affected at IGMC. ### 4. What alternative are patients using during this shutdown? Patients are turning to private commercial laboratories, where they must pay full out-of-pocket charges for their medical investigations. --- _TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.. Machine-readable view; canonical HTML at the URL above._