Patients across Punjab continued to suffer after Young Doctors Association (YDA) went on province-wide strike and also boycotted their services at the outpatient departments (OPDs) of government and public hospitals.
The YDA expanded their boycott to the rest of the Punjab on Monday against transfer of 45 postgraduate trainee doctors and medical officers (MOs) of Services Hospital by the provincial Health Department.
The strike caused intense anguish among the patients and attendants, as the operations, indoor and outdoor services remained suspended for the fifth day across Punjab, with the government taking no alternate steps. The doctors have vowed to continue their strike till the withdrawal of the orders.
The protesters said they would keep the outpatient departments (OPDs) of all government hospitals closed till the settlement between the government and YDA. Health advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif has declared the strike as unreasonable and maintained that it is the right of the government to take decisions relating to the appointments and transfers.
Meanwhile, the doctors’ strike was challenged in the Lahore High Court (LHC) by a local petitioner, seeking action against the YDA leaders. The court has summoned health secretary on April 23 in this regard. Doctors said the strike would continue till cancellation of transfers and postings.
The CM said doctors were associated with a noble profession and they had vowed to serve the ailing humanity. He said doctors could adopt any method for pressing their demands but the word strike should not be in their dictionary as the grief of a family which lose any of its members due to strike can only be realized by those who have faced this tragedy.
He said Punjab government had spent billions of rupees on the welfare and improvement of the service structure of doctors, nurses and paramedical staff and a sum of Rs 8 billion was also being utilised for this purpose in the current fiscal year. The CM announced a grant of Rs 100 million for the setting up of an engineering college in Sargodha, establishment of trauma and cardiac centre and affiliation of 400-bed hospital in Sargodha to Sargodha Medical College. He further announced a sum of Rs 29 lakh for the treatment of a student of Sargodha Medical College who is a cancer patient.
He was addressing the first convocation of Sargodha Medical College, on Monday. Provincial Agriculture Minister Ahmed Ali Aulakh, member national and provincial assemblies, teachers and a large number of students were present.
Doctors remain absent as YDA strike goes provincial
