HYDERABAD: Health services in Outdoor Patient Departments (OPDs) and medical wards of the government hospitals remained suspended on Friday for the third consecutive day as the doctors continued their strike.
The boycott was called by Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) and Young Doctors Alliance (YDA) Sindh to push the Sindh government to accept their demands.
A number of patients returned from the hospitals including Liaquat University Hospital, Bhitai Hospital, Qasimabad Hospital, Paretabad Hospital and others without receiving health treatment.
The doctors also boycotted the operation theatres in all the government hospitals.
The PMA and YDA are demanding enhancement in salaries and pensions equaling their counterparts in Punjab, promotions for 2,000 to 2,500 doctors in BS-18 to BS-20 grades, regularization of contractual doctors and an end to rampant corruption.
At a press conference on Friday, PMA Sindh’s General Secretary Dr Pir Manzoor Ali warned that they would not hold another round of negotiations with the provincial government.
He said a delegation of PMA and YDA met the provincial health minister and health secretary last month after their 4-day boycott.
Ali added that they were assured that the provincial government would issue notifications for the salary and promotions within 3 working days but the assurance did not materialize.