The Young Doctors Association (YDA) strike across Punjab against not getting a revised service structure entered its fifth consecutive day on Friday. A large number of patients suffered as doctors were unavailable in the government hospitals across the province. The YDA also vowed to extend the strike for an indefinite period of time until their demand for service structures was fulfilled. The strike also saw the closure of the OPDs and the outdoor patient wards, severely hampering the provision of healthcare services. The strike caused intense anguish to the patients and attendants, as the operations, indoor and outdoor services remain suspended for the fifth day across Punjab, with the government taking no alternate steps. While many patients criticised the government for not resolving the issue, they also said the doctors were wrong to deny medical care, as the act belied the YDA’s claims that the association’s doctors would ensure that the operating theatres and outdoor wards were open to avoid troubling the patients. Many patients demanded that the government ensure that the matter was resolved at the earliest so that the smooth provision of healthcare services to the public was ensured.
