Joint Action Committee of Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Center and National Institute of Child Health on Monday observed strike against non-approval of health allowance among other demands made by the doctors and the paramedics.
However, thousands of visiting patients faced difficulties as outpatient departments (OPDs) of both institutions remained suspended.
The committee consisting of paramedics and young doctors observed a complete strike against non-acceptance of their demands. A protest demonstration and a sit-in staged outside the Najmuddin Auditorium of JPMC were led by Gul Saeed Khan, Dr Yaseen, Syed Ameer Hussain Shah, Dr Usman, Ismail Jiskani, Abdul Wahid, Faisal Chaudhary, Irshad Arian, Abdul Qadeer, Ghazi Jan and others.
The protesters said a large number of employees were not being paid health allowance since 2012. The neurosurgery department employees were waiting for their regularisation. They said young doctors were receiving fewer salaries as compared to salaries being paid in three other provinces. They said a health allowance summary had not been approved by the chief minister Sindh yet despite a lapse of seven months.
On the other hand, Secretary Health Dr Saeed Ahmed Mangnejo, JPMC Joint Executive Director Dr Seemin Jamali and JPMC Executive Director Prof Anis Bhatti held a meeting with joint action committee members and asked them to end their protest but they refused to do so till the acceptance of their demands.
Joint Action Committee Media Coordinator Ismail Jiskani said protest demonstration and sit-in would continue till acceptance of their genuine demands.
More than 7,000 patients visit OPDs of both healthcare centers every day and the strike increased the misery of the patients. The worst to suffer were patients who had come from rural areas of Sindh and other parts of the country.
