The Rajasthan government today issued a notification declaring all services, offices and activities of the state Medical and Health Department under essential services for the next three months starting from December 17.

The move would prohibit mass leaves, strikes and interruption in the services of the department for the aforesaid period, officials said.The notification came in the wake of the All-Rajasthan In-Service Doctors Association's decision to indefinitely strike work from December 18 over various demands.As part of ongoing protests, doctors posted in government hospitals at the state and district levels were examining patients in tents pitched outside the hospitals.

Last month, medical services in the state were adversely affected after doctors went on a strike. However, the crisis was resolved through talks.Soon after the strike was called-off, the government issued transfer orders to nearly a dozen doctors.The doctors' association alleged that the government did not fulfil its demands even after a mutual consensus was reached, and had threatened to go on strike again.