The Young Doctors Association (YDA) on Thursday started protests outside public hospitals in an attempt to pressurise the government to change the decision taken against doctors involved in the Gujranwala incident, Pakistan Today has learnt.
The young doctors started protest rallies from all major public hospitals and walked on the roads adjacent to their respective hospitals and blocked traffic.
They were holding banners and placards demanding implementation of the service structure. Insiders, however, revealed that the actual motive behind the ongoing strike is to pressurise the government to change the decision taken against Gujranwala doctors, who beat up the hospital medical superintendent (MS).
Patients continued to suffer as doctors and government locked horns once again.
YDA Spokesperson Dr Nasir said the young doctors condemned the attack on their senior but cases should be registered against those who had beat up the young doctors in retaliation. He said that the doctors were being victimised for their just demands, while the government was delaying the matter of service structure.
“If the government does not fulfil our demands, the procedure in courts is very slow and the media not taking our sides, we have no other option but to prolong the protest and ultimately go on a strike,” he added.
Chief Minister’s Advisor on Health Khwaja Salman Rafique told Pakistan Today that the government had already notified demands on service structure relating to young doctors, while there were other stakeholders associations who had to be considered. “The young doctors want the government to take back the decision on the doctors who beat up their senior in Gujranwala,” he said. “The matter is in the court and the final decision will be made by the presiding judge on the case.”
Moreover, he said, “The YDA only consists of PG trainees and HOs, while an over-whelming majority of doctors are General Cadre doctors and seniors. We have already had meetings with all stakeholders and gave them a presentation on the progress. The government has also set a schedule for weekly meetings with the associations and we have no idea what the YDA now wants.” “The government in no way will let the young doctors go on a strike and close the OPDs, while action has only been taken against doctors involved in beating up seniors and ones creating hurdles in provision of medical services,” he added.
Those HOOLIGANS in Gujranwala MUST be prosecuted. I would request the prosecutor to ask for 50 yrs in JAIL or till they die which ever come first.
If YDA goes on strike , cancel their medical license permanently and this way they are ineligible to work any place in future. . Termination will be automatic from health dept service.
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