Doctors urge govt to solve salaries’ issue

Young Doctors Association (YDA) has warned the Punjab government to call a meeting of the special committee regarding doctors’ salaries issue within two days failing which they will close the hospitals. The YDA delegates met the newly appointed Health Secretary Jahanzeb Khan on Monday and later in the YDA’s general council meeting held at doctors hostel Services Hospital, they made this announcement. YDA members condemned the attitude of Dr Jahanzeb regarding the solution of doctor’s issues.
The meeting decided that if the government failed to comply, they will call their general council meeting on Thursday and will decide if they need to close hospitals for their demands. YDA delegates demanded that notification regarding ‘PCO doctors’ should be taken back and Health Care Bill should be implemented. The Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) delegation also met the Health Secretary and informed him about the doctors’ issues.
They demanded that the Punjab government announce a special salary package for all cadres of doctors, a regular service structure with time scale promotion, regularisation of 1800 PGMOs and contract doctors and promotions from grade 18 to 19 and 20. Health Secretary said that the Punjab government wanted to solve the doctors’ issue but the government was not in a position to do so, as it was going through a financial crisis.
He assured PMA that the health department agreed to all the demands of the PMA and would be resolved on priority basis. He said that the Punjab government wanted to solve the doctors’ issue but the government was not in a position to do so, as it was going through a financial crisis.