Sufferings of patients increasing as young Doctors’ strike enters sixth day

Sufferings of the patients have been increased, as the young doctors across Punjab continued to protest against transfer orders of a number of their colleagues, withdrawing their services from outpatient departments and demanding cancellation of transfer orders on the sixth day.

Doctors according to the media reports are considering suspending work in the indoor departments and emergency units as well in the next phase. Young Doctors Association (YDA) is thinking to expand the strike scope, as its president of Gujrat chapter was apprehended on Tuesday.

The YDA Punjab Chapter called for a strike in OPDs (Outdoor Patients) of the government-run hospitals throughout the province after a strike in Lahore on Thursday. It demanded of the government to revise their pay-structure and allocate at least 10% of the GDP for health sector along with cancellation of transfer orders.

Patients have to suffer in almost all major cities of Punjab, including Lahore and Rawalpindi, as young doctors are boycotting the OPDs, intensifying the miseries of people who do not have any other option except public-sector hospitals.

After receiving no response from the provincial government on their demand regarding cancellation of transfers, the Young Doctor Association, Punjab Chapter, announced complete strikes in OPDs on Saturday across the province.

YDA Punjab General Council Chairman Dr. Muhammad Haroon claimed that the provincial government has ordered transfer of over 600 doctors, including postgraduate trainees and senior medical officers, to fringes, particularly targeting the leadership of the YDA.

In his view, the provincial government did not want to listen to the voice of young doctors, which the YDA has been raising for the sake of legitimate rights of young doctors serving under the provincial government.

He complained, “The provincial health department has ordered transfers of YDA leadership operating in all major cities of the province”.

He continued that earlier the association wanted to resolve the issues through talks and for this purpose it gave a lot of time to the concerned government authorities after strike in Lahore, but they did not act accordingly.

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Posted by Faisal Farooq on Apr 17 2012. Filed under Health, Pakistan, Society. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.