Daily Express News Story

Daily Express News Story

Jang Multimedia

Jang Multimedia

Demand for higher salaries: Doctors at Parliament House join strike

Doctors at the Polyclinic Hospital-run dispensary in Parliament House have also started observing a token strike.

They have started with a two-hour daily token strike from 11am to 1pm and will go on a complete strike once their colleagues at Polyclinic start providing outpatient department (OPD) services in camps being set up in Argentina Park.

Muhammad Ajmal, the president of Young Doctors Association (YDA) Polyclinic, said on Friday that their preparations were almost complete and they will start offering OPD services in the park in a “couple of days”. The dispensary doctors will provide OPD services in the halls of Parliament House during the Polyclinic Hospital strike.

Pims doctors set to boycott OPDs

Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences doctors, meanwhile, are all set to go on a complete boycott of the general OPD, children OPD, mother and child health OPD and the burn centre OPD from 8am to 2pm from Saturday.

On the fifth day of their token strike from 11am to 1pm they all gathered in front of the administration block and raised slogans, demanding revised salary and service structures. Postgraduate doctors, medical officers and faculty members joined them in their protest.

They also blocked the road in front of Pims emergency ward for half an hour, causing a traffic jam.

The emergency services, critical areas and operation theatres services, however, remained functional.

Dr Sajid Abbasi, president YDA Islamabad chapter, said the ministry of health’s attitude towards their demands has forced them to come out on the streets. “We will not step back from our demands no matter how long we have to fight for it,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 26^th, 2011.

Young doctors’ strike enters 25th day in Rawalpindi

The Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, has removed free medical camps established outside all public sector hospitals of the province while continuing strike in Outpatient departments for 25th day on Friday.

“We removed free medical camps three days back because holding up of the camps have become unaffordable for the young doctors who have already been given meagre salaries by the government,” said President YDA Rawalpindi Chapter Dr Umar Saeed while talking to ‘The News’ on Friday.

He added that the young doctors are expecting some positive response from Punjab chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif. “The provincial health secretary informed the YDA that the government has decided to give pay raise to the young doctors from July this year, however the young doctors want something in black and white on the subject.”

Dr Umar said that the health secretary did not tell that how much increase in salaries would be given nor he succeeded in having notification on the subject. “The young doctors across province are adamant to have notification regarding pay raise,” he said.

He added that the concerned government officials and central leadership of the ruling PML-N in the province including Punjab chief minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif has assured YDA that the demands of the young doctors would be given due consideration. “We believed the assurances given but nothing positive have so far been done,” said Dr Umar.

On the call of Young Doctors Association Punjab, the young doctors withdrew their services from OPDs of all public sector hospitals in the province on March 1, however indoor patients departments, Intensive Care Units, Coronary Care Units and Emergency Departments of the hospitals have been operational as per routine.

The young doctors have been demanding 100 percent pay raise, pay protection and increase in health budget. The YDA office bearers met with Punjab CM during January this year and he assured the YDA that young doctors would be given increase in salaries yet the government has done nothing so far to solidify its claim. “The young doctors want the CM to come forward and give assurance on the subject of pay raise in front of media,” said Dr Umar

Young doctors to go on complete strike from today

With the Ministry of Health not budging an inch, the Young Doctors Association (YDA) of Islamabad Friday decided to embark on a complete strike with effect from today (Saturday), till such time that their demands are met.

The doctors continued their token strike for the fifth consecutive day on Friday. They skipped the Outpatient Departments (OPDs) of all components of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS), including the OPD of the main hospital, Children’s Hospital, Maternal and Child Health Centre, and the Burn Centre from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., assembled in front of the Administration Block and the Executive Director’s Office to raise slogans, and as if that was inadequate, blocked the main road in front of PIMS for several hours. Emergency services, critical areas and operation theatres services, however, remained uninterrupted as usual.

“The indifference of the Ministry of Health has forced us to convert our token strike into a full-fledged one. All OPDs will remain closed from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. from Saturday. Emergency cases, however, will be attended to as usual,” the president of YDA Dr. Sajid Abbasi told this correspondent. The YDA was joined in its strike by postgraduate doctors, medical officers and faculty members. Doctors of other government hospitals in the capital also expressed solidarity with the YDA in their own way.

Addressing the protesters, Dr. Sajid Abbasi, as well as the executive committee members of YDA Dr. Asfandyar, Dr. Awais and Dr. Bashir emphasised that they would not retreat with respect to their demands. The doctors’ demands include increase in salaries of professors (Rs300,000), assistant professors (Rs200,000), senior registrars (Rs120,000), medical officers (Rs80,000), House Officers (Rs35,000) and postgraduate residents (Rs70,000), as well as revision of service structure and regularization of doctors currently working on contract basis.

Dr. Sajid informed that a proposed service structure has already been drafted by a committee. “It should be different from the BPS structure. We want doctors to be inducted in grade 18, rather than in BPS 17 as per current practice. We also want a proper promotion schedule to be devised; currently, there is none. Doctors working on contract at PIMS and FGHS should be regularised,” he stated.

The protesting doctors regretted that the Ministry of Health has not responded to their demands so far. “It has been almost 10 days since we submitted our demands to Secretary Health through ED PIMS,” they informed.

Talking specifically in the context of PIMS, the young doctors articulated the need for a permanent solution to the issue of massive influx of patients at the hospital. “The government should either expand the existing facility, create new ones to obtain a decline in patient load, or devise a well thought out strategy to handle the problem once and for all,” one of the doctors urged

YDA holds demo at PIMS

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Islamabad Chapter on Thursday held a protest at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to press the authorities for acceptance of their demands.

The participants carrying placards urged the concerned authorities to resolve their problems. Addressing the participants, speakers said that YDA would extend their strike time and if their demands were not fulfilled they would completely close the Out Patients Department (OPD).

President of YDA Islamabad Chapter Dr Sajid Abbasi while talking to APP said that Out Patients Department (OPD) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) will remain closed from 11 am to 1 pm.

He said that the YDA’s ongoing strike in the federal capital was symbolic in favour of demands and all the doctors were performing their duties in emergency ward and other wards of PIMS.

He said the doctors would continue their work in the hospital wearing black bands on their arms as a token of protest while further strategy would be decided in next meeting, he added.

Dr Sajid said, an application has been sent to the Secretary Health through Executive Director PIMS with same demands which were included in the agenda of the YDA Punjab.

He said that the government has been asked to revise pay scale and salary structure of the doctors with sufficient raise in their salaries upto Rs 35,000 of House Officer, Rs 80,000 for Postgraduate trainee doctor, Rs 120,000 salary for Senior Registrar, Rs 200,000 for Assistant Professor and Rs 300,000 for full Professor.

Dr Sajid said the YDA Islamabad Chapter was representing the doctors community affiliated with the federal government hospitals. He said it has been decided that the YDA will continue its fight for the rights of young doctors working in the federal government hospitals

Day 24: Doctors continue strike

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) continued their strike for the 24^th day on Thursday.

Young doctors all over Faisalabad staged demonstrations for pay increments and regularisation of their employment.

Doctors from Allied Hospital and General Hospital completely abandoned their work duties to stage their protest.

They raised slogans against the government and demanded that Secretary Health Fawad Hasan be immediately replaced.

The Punjab government has so far been unable to placate the concerns of the protesting doctors.

Patients from far reaching areas are suffering as they are being forced to leave without any treatment.

YDA press authorities to accept demands

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Islamabad Chapter on Thursday held a protest at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to press the authorities for acceptance of their demands.

The participants carrying placards urged the authorities concerned to resolve their problems. Addressing the participants, speakers said that YDA would extend their strike time and if their demands were not fulfilled they would completely close the Out door Patients Department (OPD).

Islamabad Chapter YDA President Dr Sajid Abbasi talking to APP said that OPD of PIMS would remain closed from 11am to 1pm.

He said that the YDA’s ongoing strike in the federal capital was symbolic in favour of demands and all the doctors were performing their duties in emergency ward and other wards of PIMS.

Dr Sajid said, an application has been sent to the Secretary Health through PIMS Executive Director with same demands, which were included in the agenda of the YDA Punjab. He said that the government has been asked to revise pay scale and salary structure of the doctors with sufficient raise in their salaries upto Rs 35,000 of House Officer, Rs 80,000 for Postgraduate trainee doctor, Rs 120,000 salary for Senior Registrar, Rs 200,000 for Assistant Professor and Rs 300,000 for full Professor.

Dr Sajid said the YDA Islamabad Chapter was representing the doctors community affiliated with the federal government hospitals

Punjab Govt agrees to increase doctors’ salaries

Punjab government has decided in principal to increase the salary package for the doctors’ community from 1st July and this would be a fairly decent and reasonable increase. The recommendations for the said increased salary package would be finalized by the mid of May, this year.

Secretary Health Punjab Fawad Hassan Fawad who met with the YDA-12 member delegation headed by Dr. Nasir Abbas at Lahore General Hospital last night said, salaries of the doctors would be increased by July 1.

Principal PGMI, LGH Prof. Tariq Salahuddin, Prof. Ali Haider, Prof. Rubina Sohail, Prof. Agha Shabbir, Prof. Shoaib Randhawa and MS LGH Dr. Zafar Ikram were also present in the meeting.

Dr. Nasir Abbas demanded that this assurance should be given to them in black and white so that they could convince their colleagues in general body’s meeting.

Fawad Hassan Fawad directed the principal LGH to circulate the minutes of the meeting among the stake holders for this purpose. Prof. Tariq Salahuddin asked the young doctors to freeze their strike in OPDs as there were no moral grounds left for strike after clear cut assurance about salary increase from higher authorities

Doctors` strike: Another SOS from Polyclinic

The Ministry of Health was on Monday again reminded about the “increasing protest” by young doctors of Polyclinic, joined by the senior faculty and nurses and leading to breakdown of outdoor patient department daily, Dawn has learnt.

Requesting anonymity, a senior official of the health ministry said Dr Shaukat Kiyani, executive director of Polyclinic, has sent another letter to the ministry, drawing its attention towards the strike called by the Young Doctors Association (YDA), saying it had crippled the routine work at the hospital.

The ministry kept mum over the first letter by Dr Kiyani, detailing the young doctors` concerns, with the request of resolving them `amicably`.

“The hospital has been facing an increasing protest from doctors, which is leading to a breakdown of OPDs for more than an hour on daily basis,” the official quoted excerpts from Dr Kiyani`s letter. “The senior faculty has also joined the token strike of YDA,” the letter addressed to the joint secretary of the health ministry said.

The doctors demanding increase in salaries and a better service structure are observing one-hour strike since March 14. A couple of days back, Polyclinic nurses also joined the doctors` token strike.

The letter requested the ministry to give a `patient hearing` to the young doctors and resolve the issue at the earliest. Dr Kiyani feared that if the ministry failed to take the young doctors` demands seriously, the time of token strike may be extended, further disturbing the “health services at the hospital”.

On Monday, young doctors of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) also observed one-hour strike and backed the demands of their Polyclinic colleagues.

On strike for a week, the YDA Islamabad is demanding induction of doctors in BPS-18, pay increase from Rs22,000 to Rs70,000 and regularising doctors working on contract for the last several years. Pims doctors chanted slogans against the health ministry and the hospital`s administration and closed down the OPD for one hour.

Dr Mohammad Ajmal, president of the YDA Islamabad, told Dawn: “We have extended the strike to two hours as the bureaucracy in the ministry health is least concerned about our genuine demands.” He said the paramedical staff and nurses have also joined the strike.

“Within three days we will completely close down the OPDs if the ministry failed to address our concerns,” warned Dr Ajmal. He added that a council comprising the association`s Punjab and Islamabad chapters has been formed.

YDA starts strike in OPD of PIMS

The Young Doctors Association at Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences held a token strike in the outpatient department of the hospital on Monday and announced to continue the strike till Thursday while demanding increase in their salaries and revision in service structure.

The young doctors did not serve in outpatient department at PIMS on Monday from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. They also staged a protest on the premises of the hospital. The YDA PIMS organised a walk from Courtesy Centre to MCH in the hospital where President YDA Islamabad Dr Sajid Abbasi addressed the participants of the walk.

He said that the YDA Islamabad had twice written letters to the federal health secretary bringing into his notice the problems being faced by the young doctors serving in public sector hospitals of the capital but the government has given no response as yet.

“We demanded the government to increase salaries of doctors, to revise service structure, reduce duty hours in accordance with the criterion accepted internationally and to regularise jobs of doctors serving presently on contractual basis,” said Dr Sajid.

He added that the token strike would continue in OPD till Thursday and if the government does not give due response to the doctors’ demands, the YDA would announce further strategy.

Information Secretary YDA PIMS Dr Taqqi Anwar expressed to ‘The News’ that the young doctors at PIMS have been demanding pay raise in accordance with the salary structure being implemented in judiciary, police and other departments. “We are highly qualified yet least paid community of the country,” he said.

He added that the young doctors have to serve for 72 hours a week which by no means can be justified. “The working hours of the doctors should be reduced to 48 hours weekly while the doctors serving on contractual basis should be regularised,” said Dr Taqqi.

It is important that the strike in OPDs of the hospitals in Punjab province has already entered 21st day on Monday as the YDA Punjab has been demanding pay raise, pay protection and increase in health budget in the province.

Govt decides to raise medics’ salaries

Punjab government has decided to increase the salary package of the doctors’ from July 1, while recommendations for the increased salary package will be finalised by the mid of May. This assurance came in the result of a meeting between Secretary Health Punjab Fawad Hassan Fawad with Young Doctors Association’s 12-member delegation late on Saturday. However, the young doctors would continue their strike at outdoor patient wards till the implementation of the decision. Dr Nasir Abbas led the YDA team, which met with Secretary Health at Lahore General Hospital. Principal PGMI/ LGH Professor Tariq Salahuddin, Prof Haider, Prof Rubina Sohail, Prof Agha Shabbir, Profesor Shoaib Randhawa and MS LGH Dr. Zafar Ikram were also present in the meeting. Dr Nasir Abbas demanded that this assurance should be given to them in black and white so that they could convince their colleagues in general body’s meeting. Fawad directed that the principal LGH to circulate the minutes of the meeting among the stake holders for this purpose. On this occasion, Professor Tariq Salahuddin asked the young doctors to end their strike in OPDs after the assurance from the provincial government to increase in their salaries. He proposed that few YDA representatives should be included in the team for preparing documents of salary package. Secretary Health said that YDA representatives could assist Health Department in preparation of summary, which would be sent to Chief Minister Punjab Shahbaz Sharif for approval.

Young doctors to hold free medical camps

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) has again established free medical camps outside allied hospitals, which would be fully operational from today (Monday) to accommodate outdoor patients as young doctors would continue their strike in outpatient departments of all public sector hospitals.

“We will not call off strike from OPDs unless the Punjab government issues a notification regarding increase in salaries of young doctors,” said YDA Punjab Chairman Dr. Muhammad Haroon while talking to ‘The News’ on Sunday. He said that the YDA would not call off strike on verbal

assurances made by the government high-ups or by any politician in the ruling PML-N in Punjab.

On Sunday, the strike in OPDs entered its 20th day, but the Punjab government has not offered any formula to young doctors to resolve the issue. “We believed in verbal assurances being made by senior politicians, including Punjab Chief Minister Mian Shahbaz Sharif, but the provincial government has done nothing so far to fulfil the demands of young doctors,” said Dr. Muhammad Haroon.

The young doctors went on strike in OPDs of hospitals across the province on March 1 after getting no response from the provincial government on the subject of increase in their salaries, pay protection and increase in health budget.

Pay raise: YDA holding out till firm offer from govt

Health Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad held a meeting on Sunday with the Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) Punjab officials and, according to sources close to the YDA, told them that the government would announce its agreement to raise doctors’ wages from July 1.

The meeting, which was also attended by Post Graduate Medical Institute principal Tariq Salahuddin, lasted for close to two hours. It was an attempt to get the doctors’ to call off their on-going strike.

According to YDA sources, Fawad told the YDA members that the strike was increasingly cumbersome for the government and patient surgeries across the province were being affected. The YDA contested the latter conclusion.

YDA sources said Fawad promised raise in doctors’ salaries after July 1 and said that the chief minister would make a formal announcement in this regard.

YDA members say they were now looking for a written agreement and a public announcement that set out the exact amount of the increase. “We can’t take verbal promises seriously,” said YDA Punjab official Dr Nasir Bukhari. “The government’s record of sticking to verbal agreements is abysmal,” he added.

Bukhari said the strike would continue.

YDA Punjab president Hamid Butt told The Express Tribune that today the YDA council and Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Iqbal would meet to discuss the issue. Afterwards, he said, the general council will hold a meeting with YDA Punjab leadership.

Parliamentary Secretary for Health Dr Saeed Elahi told The Express Tribune that the government agreed in principal that the salaries needed to be revised. “I have never said they should not get a raise, but we cannot come up with firm proposals till July 1,” he said. Elahi said the details would have to be worked out by the government before anything concrete was announced.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 21^st, 2011

YDA Islamabad chapter to go on strike from Monday

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Islamabad Chapter on Saturday decided to go on strike from Monday in the federal capital's hospitals.

The association has made this decision in its executive committee meeting held here on Saturday to press the authorities for the acceptance of their demands.

President of YDA Islamabad Chapter Dr Sajid Abbasi said that Out Patients Department (OPD) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) will remain closed on Monday from 11 am to 1 pm.

Dr Sajid said the YDA Islamabad Chapter was representing the doctors community affiliated with the federal government hospitals. He said it has been decided in the meeting that the YDA will continue its fight for the rights of young doctors working in the federal government hospitals.

Defiant doctors escalate protest, sit-in at PA

Doctors from the city’s six public teaching hospitals gathered, on Thursday, outside the Punjab Assembly to protest the government’s refusal to raise their wages. The Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) said that the government had till March 21 to meet their demands, failing which the doctors would go on indefinite strike.

Yesterday was the first day of an indoor wards strike. The YDA has previously stopped work at out-patient departments.

Doctors from each school blocked one of the major roads before marching to the Assembly chambers. Doctors from Lahore General Hospital and Children’s Hospital blocked Ferozepur Road. Services Hospital and Pakistan Institute of Cardiology (PIC) doctors gathered on Jail Road and the Canal Road was overtaken by doctors from Jinnah Hospital.

The Mall was blocked by doctors from Ganga Ram Hospital and Mayo Hospital. The protesting doctors then marched to the Punjab Assembly for a sit-in that lasted till evening.

“The government can do what it wants, we will fight till our demands are met,” YDA Punjab president Dr Hamid Butt said. “We are ready to be arrested and fired.” Butt said the government had issued warning letters to 200 doctors, including himself and members of the YDA executive council.

\ The doctors had come out to protest despite the notices, he said, adding that the notices had actually galvanised them into action. He said that indoor and outdoor wards throughout Punjab had been shut down but duty doctors continued to serve.

Butt said if the government did not agree to their demands by March 21, the doctors would go on strike for an indefinite period till their demands were met.

YDA Punjab press secretary Dr Aftab Ashraf said that Wednesday night’s dialogue with Advisor to the Chief Minister Zulfiqar Khosa had fallen through and the doctors would now use street agitation as a way of making the government meet its demands. “If the government tries to suppress us, then our strike and protest will just escalate.”

Dr Aftab Hussain, a doctor from PIC, said the strike was a push for the doctors’ rights. “We have the lowest salaries of any professional,” he said.

Ganga Ram Hospital’s Dr Samra Majeed said the doctors’ situation was dire. She said the protests and strikes stem from anger and frustration at being neglected.

“Civil servants and political leaders use the very same doctors’ services privately,” the doctor said.

Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP’s) Raja Riaz arrived to show his support. He said it was unlikely that the government would make any move to improve things for the doctors. “How can you expect them to care for our doctors when Nawaz Sharif himself has gone abroad for treatment?” said the opposition leader.

Former Punjab PPP president Ghulam Abbas told The Express Tribune that poor salaries had led to the exodus thousands of doctors.

“It is embarrassing that notices were issued to doctors who represent the good in the society at a time when fundamentalism and extremism are on the rise.”

Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid-i-Azam’s Chaudhry Zaheeruddin Khan said the Punjab government had wasted public money on useless projects.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 18^th, 2011.

Young doctors’ token strike continues at PIMS

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Islamabad Chapter on Wednesday continued their token strike at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (PIMS) to press the authorities for the acceptance of their demands. “If any doctor of YDA Punjab chapter is arrested by the Punjab government, we will close all the hospitals in the federal area and will give full support to our colleagues,” President of YDA Islamabad Chapter Dr Sajid Abbasi told APP. He, however, said that the YDA’s ongoing strike in the federal capital is symbolic in favor of demands and all the doctors are performing their duties in out patients department (OPD), emergency ward and other wards of PIMS. He said that the doctors would continue their work in the hospital wearing black bands on their arms as a token of protest while further strategy would be decided in next meeting.

Striking doctors threatened with dismissal

As expected the Punjab government on Wednesday issued warning letters to young doctors to end the strike by March 21 otherwise their services would be terminated.

Meanwhile, the executive director of Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic) in Islamabad in a letter requested the ministry of health to fulfil the demands of the junior doctors whose ongoing protest seriously threatened to disrupt health services at the hospital,

The doctors in Rawalpindi have been protesting for raise in their salaries for the last 16 days while their counterparts in the capital city launched the strike a couple of days back.

The doctors who have been issued the warning letters in Rawalpindi are: Ghulam Abbas, Ayaz Mughal, Rana Mohsin, Ambreen from DHQ Hospital; Waleed Abbasi, Fizan Rao, Gulshan Khan, Asif Raza, Suhail Chuadhry, Jawad Ahmed, Mohammad Kashif, Mohammad Kamran, Naeem Ahmed and Nasir Mehmood from Holy Family Hospital; Umer Saeed, Mohammad Aqeel, Mohammad Shoiab, Faisal, Mohammad Shafi and Abdul Rasheed from Benazir Bhutto Hospital.

The doctors were given letters signed by the medical superintendents of three teaching hospitals.

Sources told Dawn that before dismissal the Punjab Health Department had issued warning letters to save its skin from future litigation.

Giving reaction to the letter, Young Doctors Association (YDA) on Wednesday termed it a pressure tactics of the government to force the doctors to give up their campaign for their rights.

The YDA demanded the government to withdraw the letters otherwise they would close the service at the city hospitals.

Punjab YDA Chairman Dr Mohammad Haroon said that the Punjab government had prepared a list of 48 doctors all over the Punjab and these 20 doctors were included in the list.

He said that 15,000 doctors were united in their struggle for their rights and action against any doctor anywhere in the province will turn peaceful protest into violent.

He said on the one hand the provincial government was meeting doctors but on the other it had issued warning letters to the protesting doctors.

He said that YDA`s meeting with a committee led by Sardar Zulfiqar Khosa in Lahore ended without success as the provincial government failed to issue notification for salary increase.

He said Pakistan People`s Party (PPP) also announced to support their strike. Leaders of other political parties including Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, Pervaiz Ellahi of PML-Q and Jamaat-i-Islami also assured their support to doctors.

In Islamabad, as the Young Doctors Association (YDA)`s protest entered the third day, its members again closed down the outpatient department at Polyclinic for one hour on Wednesday.

In a letter sent to the federal health ministry, Dr Shaukat Kiyani said: “The hospital has recently been facing a series of protests by various cadres for pay raise, career structure and regularisation.”

The letter said YDA was planning to extend its token strike to two hours daily but had postponed the timeline for one week on the verbal assurance of the hospital administration.

Dr Kiyani suggested that the health ministry may hold discussions with the representatives of the doctors and assure them that their issues would be resolved amicably.

The doctors have demanded induction of all their colleagues in BPS-18, pay increase from Rs22,000 to Rs70,000 and regularisation of doctors working on contract for the last several years.

When contacted, YDA President Dr Mohammad Ajmal said: “The one-hour token strike will continue for five days and in case the health ministry failed to meet our demands we will extend the duration to two hours.”

He warned that after March 25 “YDA will completely close down the OPD and the other departments at Polyclinic.” Besides, the same will be followed by our colleagues at the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) and the National Institute of Rehabilitation Medicines.

Around 150 young doctors are working at Polyclinic, 300 in Pims and 25 at the NIRM.

Meanwhile, when approached, an official of the health ministry said: “They have not received anything in writing from the executive director of Polyclinic and will only comment on the matter after receiving an official communication relating to doctors` strike at the hospital.”

Doctors on peripheries join YDA

Over 150 doctors serving in Rural Health Centres, Basic Health Units and Tehsil Headquarters Hospitals of the district have joined the movement being run by Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab for increase in salaries, pay protection and increase in health budget of the province.

Also the YDA Islamabad has decided to support fully the strike of YDA Punjab while planning to forward an application to federal health secretary with same demands as in the agenda of YDA Punjab. The YDA Islamabad that is also planning a protest decided that the young doctors would wear black armbands while working in Federal Government Services Hospital (Polyclinic) and Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences Islamabad.

On March 14, a convention of YDA Rawalpindi Chapter was held in the office auditorium of district health office in Khayaban-e-Sir Syed where in Dr Asad has been declared as President YDA Rawalpindi Rural Wing which has also been included in central council of the YDA Rawalpindi.

“The young doctors serving in RHCs, BHUs and THQ hospitals have also joined the call of strike in OPDs and have started examining patients in camps outside OPDs,” said President YDA Rawalpindi Chapter Dr Umar Saeed while talking to ‘The News’ on Wednesday. He added that the young doctors have decided to continue strike in OPDs till they are given pay raise according to their academic qualifications.

The strike of young doctors in Outpatient departments of the public sector hospitals across province has entered 16th day on Wednesday while the provincial government has failed to gain any breakthrough despite a number of meetings with the YDA Punjab office bearers.

The YDA also announced that the strike in OPDs would continue however free medical camps would continue to serve public however on Thursday (today), all the young doctors of Punjab including medical officers, house officers and postgraduate trainees would stage a sit-in protest on roads in front of hospitals while complete strike would be observed in all departments of the hospitals.

“On Thursday, the young doctors in Rawalpindi would be completely on strike and a sit-in protest would be staged on Benazir Bhutto Road in front of Benazir Bhutto Hospital,” said Dr Umar. He added that in case of use of force against young doctors, the provincial government would be responsible for the consequences.

Chairman YDA Punjab Dr Muhammad Haroon informed ‘The News’ that the provincial government has already prepared a list of 48 doctors in Punjab who are going to be victimized. “This is not a surprise. We welcome the crackdown against young doctors as it is a test of leadership and unity of doctors and we would not retreat,” he said.

Talks breakdown: Doctors reject govt’s plea for July raises

Negotiations between the Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) Punjab and a special committee headed by Senior Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister, Sirdar Zulifqar Khan Khosa have failed.

The YDA has announced a strike in the OPD as well as indoor wards of public hospitals on Thursday.

YDA Punjab leader Hamid Butt told The Express Tribune that negotiations between YDA Punjab and Khosa’s team had failed and the doctors were going to observe a strike. “We will hold protest demonstrations in front of the hospitals,” he said.

Earlier, Khosa briefed the doctors about the Punjab government’s financial difficulties and said that the government would revise the salary packages of all doctors on July 1, 2011. “The YDA Punjab has not accepted the proposal and demanded an immediate raise,” he said. YDA officials said that they were not willing to wait any further for the raises and after Khosa refused to grant the raise immediately they called for a complete strike. A YDA Punjab general council meeting later endorsed the strike.

Paramedics demand service structure

The Punjab Paramedics Alliance (PPA) warned on Wednesday of strikes in public hospitals and incessant protests from the next month, if the government did not issue their service structure notification. Malik Muneer Ahmed, the PPA president, leading a demonstration on The Mall said on Wednesday. MPAs Chaudhry Zaheeruddin and Ashraf Sohna promised the PPA members they would raise the issue in Punjab Assembly.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2011.

Punjab govt warns doctors of dire consequences

The Punjab government has warned young doctors, who are threatening to lock the indoors and emergencies, to desist from it as the government would not allow them to do so. The public opinion is also building against this inhuman behaviour of doctors’ who are indulging in strikes and closure of hospitals.

Parliamentary Secretary Health, Punjab, Dr Saeed Elahi, along with provincial Secretary Health, Fawad Hassan Fawad, and Special Secretary Health Waseem Mukhtar, while talking to journalists here on Tuesday said that a small number of doctors were coercing other doctors to go on strike. They were in fact rendering no service to humanity, rather they were jeopardising lives of thousands of patients just to press for their demands.

“Such elements are endangering the lives of thousands of patients by creating hurdles in the working of hospitals and they will not be spared and no one will be allowed to play with the lives of the patients.”

Dr Saeed Elahi disclosed that the government has given free hand to the principals and medical superintendents of teaching hospitals to cope with the doctors, who were on strike and causing hindrance in the functioning of the hospitals.

On this occasion, Fawad Hassan Fawad told the journalists that more than a dozen meetings had been held with the representatives of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) and they were fully informed about the current financial position and they were told that the Chief Minister, Punjab was in favour of increasing the salaries of doctors but it would be possible only when sufficient resources would be available.

He opined that the demand to raise the salaries forthwith was unrealistic and the doctors should wait for the next budget in this regard. He said that the government did not want to stop the doctors to use their democratic right but warned that the hospitals and thousands of patients admitted there could not be left unattended.

35 doctors issued notices, YDA holding firm

The Punjab government, on Tuesday, issued notices to 35 out of 120 Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) office bearers in teaching hospitals across the province. Many doctors have refused to comply with the government’s orders, The Express Tribune has learnt.

Several professors told The Express Tribune they had refused to comply with the government’s orders to stop their students from striking. Instead, they said they had told their principals in Tuesday’s academic council meetings to advise the government to ‘stop using their shoulder to shoot at the doctors’.

Principals of Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, Shaikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan and Services Institute of Medical Sciences, Lahore have refused to comply with the orders to serve notices or warning letters to the doctors.

The Express Tribune learnt from the concerned medical superintendents (MS) and principals that Quaid-i-Azam Medical College, Bahawalpur has issued 11 notices to Post Graduate Resident Doctors (PGRs) and PGR Medical Officers (MOs), Fatima Jinnah Medical College/Ganga Ram Hospital has issued three notices to PGRs, Jinnah Hospital/Allama Iqbal Medical College five, Lahore General Hospital four and Mayo Hospital/King Edward Medical University six. The notice warns the PGRs and PGRMOs to mend their ways by March 20 otherwise their post graduate training would be terminated and concerned principals would write to the head of the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan to revoke their registration. The notice charges the recipients with misconduct. The law requires PGRs and PGRMOs to submit an affidavit of good conduct at the time of enrolment.

Sources in the Health Department said all teaching hospitals on Tuesday held meetings of academic councils in which several professors refused to comply with the government’s order to issue show cause notices. They said that the Health Department had also directed supervisors to calm down their students but they had refused to do so. Instead, they had warned the government not to bother them otherwise they would also join the protest.

Punjab Medical College principal/ Allied Hospital Professor Riaz Hussain Dhabb said that negotiations between doctors and professors continued and there would be a resolution soon. Mayo Hospital MS Dr Zahid Pervaiz confirmed that several professors had opposed the government’s orders.

YDA president Dr Hamid Butt who works at Services Hospital as MO said that on Wednesday the YDA will only boycott Out Patient Departments (OPDs) and treat patients in tents set up on roadsides. He said on Thursday they would close all OPDs, indoor units, wards and operation theatres. He said that YDA would make the government accept their demands.

Health Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad said the YDA demand for salary raises was unrealistic. He said the doctors should wait for next year’s budget. He said that the government did not want to stop the doctors from exercise of their democratic rights but warned that work at hospitals might suffer and thousands of patients admitted there could be left stranded.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 16^th, 2011.

YDA strike to continue for indefinite period

Doctors are well paid globally, but not in Pakistan, stated office-bearers of Young Doctors Association here on Sunday. Talking to APP, YDA office bearer, Dr Usman Ayub, Dr Usman Dar, Dr Nasir Abbas and Dr Abubakar Gondal said that their strike could continue for an indefinite period if a notification of a special salary package was not issued. They stressed that the demands for salary raise of young doctors were justified.

Highlighting the “struggle” of a doctor as a student they said that the medical graduation requires six years, including study years at medical colleges. “Then the doctor takes a house job for one year. The total time consumed is around seven years. By this time doctors are almost 26 years old”.“After the successful completion of a house job, the doctor is given a job as medical officer with a pay of Rs 25,000. In this meagre amount how can he support a family ?”, they asserted.They said a banker gets Rs 60,000 with an education of 14 years, a judge gets Rs 150,000 with 17 years of education and a peon of the Supreme Court receives Rs 50,000 with 12 years of education. A policeman earns Rs 30,000 with 12 years of education, they highlighted.They further said that postgraduation degree requires another five years and the doctor-trainee has to work for 36 hours after a rest of 12 hours. During the entire postgraduation training period a person is under huge pressure to study lest he fails to qualify for the degree, they stressed.

They concludingly asserted that the YDA’s demand for Rs 70,000 salary for medical officers and postgraduate trainee, and Rs 40,000 for house officers was justified .—APP

`Miscreants` will be terminated Govt to strike at YDA with iron fist

The Punjab government has finally decided to terminate the services of young doctors for their ‘unwanted and ugly activities’ in the name of agitation and blacklist them for post-graduation training in any local or foreign medical institution, Dawn has learnt.

Use of force against doctors, crackdown, criminal proceedings, imposition of section 144 at public health facilities and arrests under 16 MPO are the options in hand after March 21, a deadline given to Young Doctors Association’s Punjab leaders and other protesting doctors to “mend their ways or face wrath of the government”.

Also, the government has decided to get the hostels of medical colleges and hospitals vacated from YDA office bearers by force and ban their entry to any public institution of the province permanently.

An insider said this was what appeared to be ultimate stand of the Punjab government at a meeting with principals and medical superintendents of all teaching and district hospitals of the province at the Punjab Civil Secretariat on Monday.

Health Secretary Fawad Hassan Fawad, CPSP vice-president Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal and senior officials of the health department attended the meeting with Health Parliamentary Secretary Dr Saeed Elahi in the chair.

The insider said Elahi read out government’s final decision to the meeting and conveyed the message to deal with the doctors challenging government’s writ with an iron hand.

Principals and medical superintendents of the health facilities were given lists of ‘miscreants’ including YDA Punjab office bearers and those who denied healthcare services and access to patients to public hospitals.

The insider said the list was compiled on the basis of the information provided by law enforcement agencies, health department and administrations of the health institutions. Ten to 15 doctors from each public health institution or hospital were on the list for their “involvement in illegal and unethical activities” during what the health department said so-called YDA movement.

The health department directed the heads of medical institutions to hold academic council meetings of their institutions on Tuesday (today), prepare cases of the listed doctors and refer these to the College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) and Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) for de-registration of their post-graduation training and blacklisting them.

After de-registration, the ‘miscreants’ would have to move the court or leave the medial profession forever. The said cases would also be sent at the same time to the Punjab health department for termination of these doctors’ services and initiation of other proceedings against them according to the ‘scale’ of their offences.

According to the insider, the health department directed the principals of all medical colleges to write letters to the parents of listed ‘miscreants’ and YDA office bearers on Tuesday (today) to intimate them about their “illegal activities” and the action planned by the Punjab government against them.

Show-cause notices would be issued the same day (today) to protesting doctors identified in the lists to inform them about the charges ‘framed’ against them like halting critical care to patients in emergencies and locking operation theatres during two-week long strike announced by YDA. Action would be taken against them after March 21.

Prof Gondal assured the meeting on behalf of the CPSP that stern action would be taken against the ‘miscreants’ and no one of them would be given post-graduation training in any medical institution of the country.

The meeting was informed about two senior doctors of Lahore General Hospital and a teacher of KEMU who provided financial assistance to YDA and provoked it against the Punjab government.

Some principals informed the meeting that most YDA leaders, who did MBBS from Central Asian States or local private medical colleges, had no respect for teachers and supervisors. For example, the meeting was told, YDA Punjab president Dr Hamid Butt did MBBS from a Central Asian State. He recently phoned principal of the Shaikh Zayed Medical College, Rahim Yar Khan, abused him for allegedly creating hurdles in young doctors’ protest movement and threatened him with consequences.

Doctors’ protest enters 14th day

Young doctors' protest across the province including twin cities Islamabad-Rawalpindi, continued on 14-day.

Young doctors of government hospitals have been protesting for increase in their salaries. Due to the strike, they are checking patients on roads.

The doctors started their strike for the increase of their salaries on March 1. They had closed outdoor and indoor facilities for patients and protested in streets but now only the outdoor units in hospitals are closed.

The protesting doctors said that their salaries were very low and should be increased. They said that keeping in view the difficulties being faced by the patients; outdoor patients were being treated on roads.

According to Young Doctors Association (YDA), the doctors would not attend patients in hospitals, until the acceptance of their demands.

Govt to take strict action against protesting doctors

The Punjab government has decided to take strict action against the young doctors who are on strike for the last 13 days demanding raise in salaries and improvement of health infrastructure, sources told Daily Times on Sunday.

Sources on the condition of anonymity said that the Punjab government had ordered the authorities to prepare a list of the patients who died or their condition worsened due to medical negligence and unavailability of the proper medical care due to the strike of the doctors all over the Punjab.

When asked what type of action could be taken against the protesting doctors, the sources said so far the list of the patients had been sought and it may be the first step of the government to use this list against the doctors to isolate them and their salaries could also be deducted and as a last step if both the parties remained unable to reach on any reconciliation then cases could be filed against the doctors along with their removal from jobs. They said the government could use the relatives of the patients to move against doctors as due to their negligence the patient died or their condition worsened.

The doctors all over the Punjab are protesting against the Punjab government for its failure to address their problems and in Rawalpindi they are on strike for the last 13 days. This situation has added to the miseries of the patients, while on the other hand the para-medical staff of Rawalpindi division has already threatened the government of strike as the notification of their service structure that was approved by the Punjab chief minister one year ago could not be issued despite many efforts.

The doctors have set up camps outside the hospitals to provide medical facilities to the patients, but many patients are unable to get proper treatment due to non-functionality of the Out Door Patient’s Department (OPD) of the government hospitals in the city, which not only cater to the needs of the locals but people from the far flung areas including AJK, Chakwal, Murree and other areas also visit these hospitals for treatment.

Punjab Young Doctors Association (YDA) Chairman Dr Muhammad Haroon, YDA Rawalpindi Chapter president Dr Umer Saeed and joint secretary Dr Junaind Abbassi addressing a joint press conference at Rawalpindi Press Club a few days ago had threatened that over 15,000 young doctors would resign from their services if the Punjab government did not accept their demands.

The young doctors are demanding that the government increase their salaries, raise the health budget to ensure better health facilities to the masses, 100 percent rise in paid seats of all trainee doctors including medical officers, postgraduate and house officers. They are also demanding an end to unpaid labour and review of service structure of doctors.

The provincial government has also launched a media campaign highlighting the steps taken by the government for the doctors and terming their strike baseless. The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has also announced to support the strike of doctors and termed it a struggle for their rights. Representatives of other political parties are also visiting the camps of protesting doctors to express solidarity with them.

The Punjab government had set up a committee to resolve the issue but no concrete result emerged and now the government has decided to take strict action against the protesting doctors

YDA fears action against doctors, warns government of consequences

The Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, warned the provincial government of the consequences announcing that in case of use of force even against a single doctor, all services including emergency, intensive care units, coronary care units, labour rooms and operation theatres in hospitals across the province would be withdrawn.

After getting information from its sources in intelligence services about the government action against doctors on Monday (today), the General Council of the YDA held a tele-meeting on Saturday night. In the meeting, all city presidents of the association in the province decided that in case of use of force by the government to check doctors’ movement, the doctors would withdraw all their services from all public sector hospitals of the province.

On the call of the Punjab YDA, young doctors withdrew their services from outpatient departments of all public sector hospitals on March 1 after getting no response from the provincial government on the subject of increase in their salaries, pay protection and increase in health budget. On Sunday, the doctors’ strike in OPDs entered 13th day, however, the young doctors have been running free medical camps outside hospitals to accommodate poor patients. The YDA also announced that from Monday to Wednesday, strike in OPDs would continue, however, free medical camps would continue to serve the public.

“On March 17, all the young doctors of Punjab including medical officers, house officers and postgraduate trainees would stage a sit-in protest on roads in front of hospitals while complete strike would be observed in all departments of the hospitals,” said YDA Chairman Dr Muhammad Haroon while talking to ‘The News’.

President YDA Rawalpindi Chapter Dr Umar Saeed told ‘The News’ Sunday morning that the YDA received information through its sources in intelligence agencies that the provincial government is planning to use force against office-bearers of the YDA on Monday. “We would not tolerate use of force even against a single doctor.” Dr Umar added that the young doctors would continue holding up free medical camps till Wednesday adding “Because young doctors are not insensitive like the Punjab government and we would not like to let patients suffer in our struggle for our rights.”

Doctors rap govt for ad campaign

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) on Friday lashed out at the Punjab government`s ads in newspapers, accusing it of starting a campaign against them for demanding increase in salaries and the budget for government run hospitals.

Dr Umer Saeed, YDA Rawalpindi president, told Dawn that the provincial government was spending huge money on advertisements but not providing funds for improving facilities in public hospitals.

“CT Scan in Benazir Bhutto Hospital is not working for the last three months. Similarly MRI machine in Holy Family Hospital has not been used for the last two-and-a-half years but the money is being spent on advertisement against doctors,” he said.

“If the Punjab government is sincere in solving the problems of patients, it should provide maximum facilities in government run hospitals,” he said, adding that the machinery was out of order and patients are asked to get medical tests from private clinics. Contrary to its claims, he said the provincial government had banned using funds for the government hospitals.

Dr Saeed said the doctors were not demanding undue favour from the government.

He said Saturday will be the last day for the medical camps set up outside the hospitals, adding that the protesting doctors would observe complete strike and close down the OPDs from Monday.

Maintaining that the doctors did not want to create problems for patients, he said they have been left with no choice but to go on strike to press the government to meet their demands.

The young doctors` strike entered the 11th consecutive day on Friday. The patients kept shuttling between the OPDs and medical camps for treatment at the government run hospitals in the city.