The outpatient department of the Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center (JPMC) remained closed for two hours on Saturday due to protest demonstration held by medical staff in favour of their demands.
The paramedical staff and nurses under the banner of Jinnah Employees Action Committee staged a protest demonstration and boycotted the OPDs services against apathy of health department Sindh with employees of three institutions including Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center, National Institute of Child Health and National Institute of Cardiovascular Diseases .
The protesters strongly condemned indifference of the provincial health department with employees of three institutions who were deprived of health and deputation allowances, promotions, new hiring on vacant posts and non-issuance of pay-slips to regular neurosurgery employees or deliberate delay in release of their salaries.
The protesting employees said around 2,000 employees of healthcare were deprived of health and deputation allowances since past four years. They informed that no departmental promotion committee meeting was held since last several years for promotion of employees in next grades, while no new staff was hired to fill vacant posts since long.
Member of Jinnah Employees Action Committee, Haq Nawaz Sial, said employees would enlarge their protest if the authorities concerned could not accept the demands of employees at the earliest. He said boycott of OPDs would continue next week till proper assurance from the health department.
Peoples Paramedical Staff Welfare Association central president Syed Ameer Hussain Shah talking to the media persons said that injustices were being done with health employees in Sindh province and employees had been deprived of their due rights. He said neurosurgery employees had been facing hardships and authorities concerned must address their genuine demands.
The employees later called off their strike and resumed OPD services after 11 am after which the patients were provided medical facilities in the remaining hours.
