‘Grow up, young doctors!’

The Young Doctors Association Punjab held a demonstration on Jail Road for the second day on Tuesday and demanded the restoration of senior doctors of the Punjab Institute of Cardiology (PIC). They held banners and placards inscribed with their demands and blocked the road from two sides. However, unlike Monday, the blockade came during the rush hours, and caused a lot of inconvenience to commuters not only on the Jail Road but also on the adjoining roads. The strike and the blockade created a traffic mess on the Mall, Lawrence Road and Ferozepur Road, the three major adjoining roads to Jail Road. “I’ve to take a class in LUMS and I just got off from my office…I’ve to grab lunch on the way and then head out to Defence for the class but it has been more than an hour that I’m trying to get there and am stuck here,” Ali Imran, a working professional stuck in the jam on The Mall said. “Doctors are the educated class and should understand that this is the time when professionals take off and go out either for lunch or other chores…they should not have blocked the road,” he added.
Shafqat, a disgruntled rickshaw driver said, “These young doctors need to grow up. I cannot afford these traffic jams.”
Some incidents of exchange of harsh words between the police, doctors and the commuters were also reported.
However, Punjab YDA has further announced a call for the complete OPD and indoor strike in the PIC and a complete OPD shutdown in all hospitals across the metropolitan. A spokesman of Provincial Health Department while taking notice of the announcement of strike by the Young Doctors Association (YDA) on the issue of PIC has reminded them that the strike was a clear cut violation of orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan. He said it was mandatory to all doctors to extend complete cooperation in the investigation being carried out regarding medicines of PIC. The spokesman further said the SC had termed the strike a violation of fundamental rights of the patients, therefore, those observing the strike would not only commit contempt of court but such steps would also be against the spirit of noble cause of medical profession.
The spokesman further said the doctors belong to a highly educated segment of the society and government has great respect for their services therefore they should adopt the method of dialogue. He said the majority of patients visiting government hospitals belonged to the poor and middle class and strike by young doctors would increase their problems and they would lose the sympathies of the public.