FAISALABAD – As the young doctors’ strike for pay raise entered 40th day, the Punjab government, taking serious notice of patients’ sufferings and deaths, has launched a recruitment campaign to replace the striking doctors.
In Faisalabad, outpatients departments and other wards in Allied Hospital, Civil Hospital and Faisalabad Institute of Cardiology (FIC) have been abandoned by the young doctors, causing chaos in patients’ management. The Punjab health secretary has set up a committee, headed by Faisalabad Punjab Medical College (PMC) Principal Professor Dr Riaz Hussain Dubb, to launch the recruitment process.
It is reported that Dr Riaz Hussain and Allied Hospital Medical Superintendent (MS) Professor Dr Bashir Ahmed Rana have selected 36 new doctors, including females, after interviews. These new doctors will be posted in different wards and OPDs to fill up the positions left by the striking young doctors. However, Faisalabad-based young doctors have threatened that they will not let the newly recruited doctors take charge of their posts.
Earlier, the government conceded to grant a pay raise to the young doctors with effect from July but the things got out of control following the clumsy handling of the issue that has become a matter of prestige for the Punjab government now. The doctors, along with their earlier demand of pay raise, are now demanding the resignation of the Punjab health secretary whom they consider responsible for stalemate.
The young doctors say their salary package is equal to that of a police constable which is not acceptable to them. The government, on the other hand, says there is no money in the state coffers to adjust the proposed increase.
“Our message to the Punjab chief minister is to close down Danish schools if he does not need doctors for the nation,” said a young doctor.
