The Punjab government keeps a mum, as patients continue to suffer as a result of the OPD shut down in all city hospitals, with the severity of condition in the Punjab Institute of Cardiology where both the OPD and inpatient department have been closed down on the second day of doctor’s strike on Thursday, Pakistan Today has learnt. The Punjab Young Doctors Association (YDA) continued its strike in the city hospitals for the second day and has refused to change their stance as the government tried to achieve a thaw on late Wednesday night.
Thousands of patients coming from the far-flung districts of the province continued to suffer and returned disappointed because the OPD services remained suspended. Increased burden was placed on the PIC, which had recently faced a lot of criticism and bad name because of the drug deaths. Stakeholders said the recent episode had already brought a bad name to the premier heart facility resulting in a decline in the number of paying category patients and the shutting down of indoor and outdoor services would only make the situation worse.
However, patients and stakeholders continued to look up to the government which has failed to take any action regarding the ongoing strike. “The entire thing gives a feeling of de javu because it was the same YDA and the same government in the last strike when government waited for 37 days before taking some meaningful action…even this time the pressure is building up as patients continue to suffer and the media highlighting the issue, but the government just being a silent spectator and not taking any sort of action to mitigate the situation,” an official seeking anonymity said.
Health Secretary Captain (r) Arif Nadeem however said the government was going “by the book” and following the Supreme Court’s directions. Moreover he said the SC directions “does not mention the restoration of doctors”, adding that the doctors had put forth a one point agenda and that was the restoration of Professor Azhar, the MS and the DMS.
“When a judicial enquiry is going on such an action is always going to be seen in a different light…the doctors should wait for the completion of the enquiry. We have tried to negotiate with them but they are not listening,” he said. According to a late private channel report, the government has sent a list of 80 names to the SC.
Senator Pervaiz Rasheed said doctors were the educated sector of society and should not make the patients suffer, adding that the government was waiting for the probe to finish and would also send the names of the striking doctors to the SC.
“The doctors do not have to be so stubborn, why can’t they wait for the probe to end?” Rehmat, a patient, said. YDA Spokesperson Dr Nasir further said the provincial council of the young doctors would meet today (Friday) to decide on the expansion of strike to the entire province, adding that the doctors were still to receive court orders and the “strike would continue in the same fashion”.
