Karnal/ Rohtak, Dec. 11 -- Patients bore the brunt as healthcare services were hit in government hospitals across the state on Wednesday after the Haryana Civil Medical Services Association (HCMSA) extended its strike indefinitely despite the authorities invoking the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA) and ordering deduction of salaries of doctors for the days they remain offduty. The HCMSA, which has 3,000 members, has been demanding a halt in the direct recruitment of senior medical officers (SMOs) besides implementing the modified assured career progression (ACP) scheme. The association had initially announced a two-day strike on Monday and Tuesday but extended it indefinitely in protest against the non-fulfilment of their demands. HCMSA president Rajesh Khyalia said that a majority of doctors are on strike and the government should address their demands on priority. Anil Sharma, who brought his elderly father for an ultrasound scan at the Karnal civil hospital, had to return in the absence of a radiologist. "We have been sent back as doctors are on strike. We hope normal services are restored soon," he said. Several patients were seen heading to the adjoining Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College and Hospital, where doctors are working as they are not part of the protest. Long queues of patients were seen outside government hospitals in Rohtak in the morning. Parvesh Kumar, a resident of Rohtak, said that he had accompanied his mother to the local civil hospital for an X-ray but was turned back in the absence of doctors. Fateh Chand, a resident of Nangthala village in Hisar district, said he had come for a check-up to the civil hospital in Hisar for the third day only to return empty-handed. "I can't afford treatment at a private hospital so have no choice but to wait for health services to resume," he said. Following the pen-down' strike by the HCMSA on November 27, the state government decided to stop the direct recruitment of SMOs. HCMSA treasurer Deepak Goyal said, "We got an oral assurance from the government that there will be no such recruitment but there has been no written order yet. Due to the bureaucratic hurdle, the ACP scheme, which has been approved by chief minister Nayab Singh Saini has been pending with the finance department for a year. Doctors also want to join back at the earliest but the government is not ready to accept our demand." Invoking ESMA on Tuesday, state chief secretary Anurag Rastogi prohibited any strike by doctors and other categories of staff working under the Haryana health department for six months. The government has deployed doctors from medical colleges, National Health Mission,consultants, retired specialists, Ayush practitioners, at hospitals to make up for the shortfall....