Punjab government announces Rs 5.2 billion for doctors

The Punjab government on Monday approved an Rs 5.2 billion package for doctors, paramedics and staff nurses by increasing their salaries but the Young Doctors Association (YDA) rejected the move. After announcement of the pay package by the Punjab government, the doctors’ community was divided into two groups with the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) welcoming it and the YDA rejecting the increase in salaries and demanded more from the provincial government. Young doctors would decide about holding a strike today (Tuesday) during the health care convention at Bahawalpur.
Senior Advisor to the Punjab CM, Zulfiqar Khosa, said that the CM had given approval to pay package worth Rs 5.2 billion by accepting recommendations of the cabinet committee after consultations with representatives of the YDA, PMA and paramedic associations. He said that the Punjab government had allocated a huge amount for the health sector according to the available resources under which the health expenditure would increase from Rs 13 billion to Rs 38 billion during the next three years.
Khosa said that medical is a sacred profession and doctors save lives of ailing humanity, therefore, people expect from doctors that after announcement of a big financial package, they would perform their duties devotedly and not hold anymore protests. Narrating details of the pay package, the CM’s advisor said that under the package, stipend of a house officer would increase from Rs 18,000 to Rs 24,000. An increase of Rs 20,000 has been approved in stipend of post graduate students and their stipend would increase from Rs 22,000 to Rs 42,000.
An increase of Rs 15,000 would be made in salaries of medical officers and dental surgeons of BPS-17 and Rs 3,370 per month would be given to them as pay protection. The salaries of doctors in BPS-18, 19 and 20 have been increased by Rs 10,000. Expenditure worth Rs 37.60 million would be incurred on promotion of paramedic staff under four tier formulas. In addition, Rs 23.90 million would be incurred on pay protection of nurses. Khosa said that although the Punjab government was not in a position to increase doctors’ salaries because it was facing a crucial financial crisis and the federal government did not contribute even a single penny, but the Punjab government did more than its ability.
He said that the Punjab government had not only raised doctors’ salaries but also allocated a sufficient amount for paramedical staff and staff nurses.
Khosa disclosed that a special cell has been set up in the health department for taking action on pending promotion cases of doctors. In addition, a special committee has been constituted consisting of all stakeholders for revising the service structure of doctors and paramedics of the health department, which would formulate its recommendation at the earliest, he added.
PMA Punjab President Dr Ashraf Nizami told Pakistan Today that the Punjab government had showed its positive attitude towards the doctors’ issues and the PMA appreciates it. He said that the PMA was working to introduce a special pay package for doctors instead of conditional pay scales and the provincial government would implement the special pay package with pension benefits as soon as the federal government implements it.
YDA Press Secretary Dr Aftab Ashraf told Pakistan Today that the association was not in a position to accept or reject the Punjab government’s health package for doctors and it would decide its response in today’s health care convention at Bahawalpur and after that the YDA had called its general council meeting. He said that the Punjab government had announced a negotiable pay package for doctors.