The Pakistan Medical Association has announced that privileged patients will no longer receive VIP treatment in the private wards of the public hospitals. The association also demanded the Punjab Chief Minister to get personally involved in the negotiations in this regard and to accept the genuine demands of the doctors’ community.
The PMA also warned the government against any vindictive action taken against the doctors by the government, saying the PMA will oppose any such actions at all forums.
It also announced to hold protests at the press clubs of all the districts of Punjab and said a provincial convention of the association is also being called in which all the associations of the doctors will be invited.
The PMA also condemned the bureaucracy for presenting false figures in the media regarding the doctors’ salaries. The association’s doctors said the PMA had always played its role in resolving issues but that the bureaucrats were deliberately making their attempts fail.
They said the draft of the service structure had been made by the PMA, YDA and MTA collectively and that the responsibility of the strike lay with the provincial health department, who instead of seriously negotiating the issues, were only trying to complicate the situation.
The doctors added that the bureaucracy had presented false figures regarding the financial impact of the demands of the doctors. They also condemned the character assassination campaign held against the doctors’ community by the provincial health department.
The doctors who participated in the meeting included Society of Surgeons General Secretary Prof Hammad Naeem Rana, MTA President Prof Tehsin Sahi, MTA General Secretary Dr Moazam Naqvi, Academy of Family Physicians President Dr Mian Tariq Mahmood, Family Physicians President Dr Aftab Iqbal, Dr Khyzar Gondal, Dr Tariq Rehmani, Rana Sohail, PMA President Dr Ashraf Nizami, PMA Joint Secretary Dr Salman Kazmi.
Meanwhile, YDA continued its strike on the 11th day, causing hardship to the patients.
