YDA remains stubborn, patients continue to suffer

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) continued their strike in government-run hospitals of the province on Thursday for the second consecutive day. Despite the strike, treatment was provided to patients in medical camps set up outside some hospitals of the province.
At the same time, the Punjab government continued its action against doctors on strike and issued suspension orders against three more doctors. Moreover, the provincial government also authorised hospital administrations to take action against doctors causing obstruction in daily routine operations. Special Assistant to Chief Minister on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique said that the government was implementing all points agreed unanimously regarding service structure of doctors, while weekly meeting of the implementation committee were being held regularly to review it. He expressed these views at a meeting held to review the service structure. He said the decision to provide Rs 1,200 per month as health professional allowance to doctors had already been implemented along with provision of special allowance of Rs 5,000 to FCPS doctors. Regarding 89 days leave to the doctors, a summary had been sent to the higher authorities in this regard, while the meeting of grievance committee would be called soon to solve problems being faced by doctors, he said.
Talking on the occasion, Dr Masood Sheikh of General Cadre Association expressed satisfaction over expeditious implementation of service structure of doctors by the government and health department. He said, in this situation, strike call by any group of doctors was without any justification. Meanwhile, a majority of poor patients hailing from far-flung districts of the province said they visited the OPDs of the hospitals because of better doctors and cheap treatment facilities. However, they said, the doctors’ move had left many unattended and disappointed. “This is simply heartless that the doctors have made it a routine to close down hospitals at will while the poor have nowhere else to go. The government should take a stand to resolve the issue as soon as possible,” Inayat Bibi, a patient from Jhang told Pakistan Today.