The Punjab government has issued a pay-raise notification of Rs 5.2 billion for doctors on Tuesday as per the commitment made early this year. The stipend of a house officer and postgraduate trainee has been raised from Rs 18,000 to Rs 24,000 and Rs 22,500 to Rs 42,500 respectively.
Moreover, grade 17 medical officers, women medical officers and dental surgeons would get Rs 15,000 and grade 18 and above officers will get Rs 10,000 in addition to the pay-protection for nurses and doctors working on contract for several years. Office bearers of doctors associations including the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and the Young Doctors Association (YDA) Pakistan have welcomed the decision.
PMA office bearers Professor Dr Muhammad Ashraf Nizami, Dr Akhtar Rashid Malik, Dr Muhammad Tanveer Anwar, Dr Izhar Ch, Dr Shahid Malik, Dr Ehsan ur Rehman, Dr Yasmin Ehsan, Dr Sabahat Habib Khan and Dr Salman Kazmi congratulated all cadres of doctors on the pay raise starting July 1. The PMA has thanked Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif, Senior Minsiter Sardar Zulfiqar Khan Khosa, Punjab chief secretary and secretary health for the decision.
The PMA office bearers further assured the doctors’ community of PMA’s continued support in struggle for rights of doctors in Punjab.