The on-going Punjab-wide strike by the Young Doctors Association (YDA) is most unfortunate because it has reportedly resulted in several deaths, as patients in dire need of medical care have been left unattended.
I recently graduated from a private medical institution and, fortunately for me, I am not my family’s sole breadwinner. Yet, I can feel the desperation of my disgruntled colleagues who worked hard to get their medical degrees only to find that the state has failed to give them the respect and financial security that they deserve.
That said, it is inexcusable that people have to die as a result of workers in any sector of the economy going on strike. The training I received at my medical school only reiterated the lessons, that my religion and my parents had instilled in me since childhood; that human life is sacred. Additionally, since receiving my medical diploma, I am obligated to keep my patients above everything, including myself. The situation now calls for both sides to show an urgent display of maturity.
The YDA needs to exhibit a stronger allegiance to the Hippocratic Oath and ensure that the brunt of their dissent does not fall on those who are acutely ill. And the Punjab government needs to recognise the fact that these young doctors are a vital cog in the machinery that keeps the public health sector afloat. Concessions will have to be made by both sides, and the earlier both sides come to terms with this, the better.
Dr Omair Shakil
Published in The Express Tribune, April 5th, 2011.
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