The Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre’s Young Doctors’ Association on Monday called off their strike after assurance from the Sindh health secretary about payment of their monthly stipends.
Earlier, house-job officers and postgraduate doctors under the YDA’s banner continued their protest demonstration for a fourth day outside the Najmuddin Auditorium against non-payment of their monthly stipends. The elective surgeries and OPD services also remained suspended due to the protest.
Hundreds of patients who came to the JPMC from Karachi and other parts of the province had to return since the out-patient departments (OPDs) were closed due to the protest.
The protesting doctors had blocked Rafiqui Shaheed Road for a while and staged a sit-in, but law enforcement agencies compelled them to keep their protest to the hospital premises.
Meanwhile, JPMC Executive Director Prof Anis Bhatti and other administrative officials while briefing the media persons said the YDA’s protest demonstration was against the rule and regulations of the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC). They said the administration had the right to cancel the registration of protesting doctors.
Later, talks took place between the YDA representatives, JPMC administration and senior officials of the Health Department at Sindh Secretariat where young doctors called off their protest demonstration after the health secretary held out assurances about addressing their problems.
YDA General Secretary Dr Yousuf confirmed that doctors had called off their protest demonstration after successful negotiations with the health secretary.
