Patients took a sigh of relief on Thursday after the Punjab Young Doctors Association finally accepted the government offer and called off the week-long strike in all public hospitals across Punjab.
The government held several rounds of negotiations with the YDA which finally resulted in a breakthrough. CM’s Special Assistant on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique and health secretary met with YDA office bearers in the morning while Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah joined in later in the evening. The government accepted the demands of the YDA and hence they called off the strike.
Per details, all previous transfers which led to the strike have been withheld and a three member committee with Dr Nasir, Dr Abubakar and the Health Secretary on board has been formed to review all the matter regarding the transfer and posting. The entire reinforcement will be done with consensus, a spokesperson said.
Moreover, the CM will announce a committee within five days which will consist of all stakeholders including YDA representatives, the health secretary, finance secretary and regulations secretary, which will together work out the service structure of doctors within one month.
Separately, a spokesman of Punjab Health Department has said that 301 doctors selected by the Punjab Public Service Commission have been posted in various teaching hospitals of Lahore, of which, 199 have resumed their duties. The spokesman said 52 doctors had given their joining report in Mayo Hospital, 54 in Services Hospital, 43 in Jinnah Hospital, eight in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, 17 in Lahore General Hospital, 15 in Children Hospital and 10 in Punjab Institute of Cardiology.
The spokesman said a total of 2,822 patients were examined on April 19 in outdoor of teaching hospitals of Lahore, of which, 988 patients were examined in Mayo Hospital, 72 in Jinnah Hospital, 415 in Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, 374 in Children Hospital, 947 in Punjab Institute of Cardiology whereas 26 in Dental Hospital. The Health Department has further appointed deputy secretaries and additional secretaries from the department as focal persons of various hospitals.
I think Punjab government should have taken this decision, the day YDA proceeded on strike.. Why make poor patients suffer for almost a week? But perhaps it is always good to eat onion and then,,,,,,
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