Following directives of the Lahore High Court, the young doctors finally announced to call off strike at indoor patient departments immediately after the court’s proceeding on Saturday, whereas the young doctors had already started serving in emergency departments of public sector healthcare facilities on Friday night.

Administration of Rawalpindi Medical College and allied hospitals told ‘The News’ that the young doctors resumed services in emergency departments of the hospitals late Friday night while on Saturday afternoon, a number of young doctors started coming to indoor patient departments to attend patients.

The Young Doctors Association Punjab announced to call off strike after intervention from the LHC that is hearing a petition into the matter. The young doctors went on strike in outpatient departments all across Punjab on June 18 on the call of YDA Punjab demanding revision of their service structure and later they withdrew services from all departments including emergency and indoor patient departments in the night on July 1, after a crackdown on YDA leadership by the Punjab police.

“The young doctors resumed services completely in emergency departments of the allied hospitals while have started reporting at the IPDs Saturday afternoon,” said Principal RMC and In-charge Allied Hospitals Professor Dr. Mohammad Mussadiq Khan while talking to ‘The News’ on Saturday. He said that the OPDs of the allied hospitals would work as per routine on Monday as the young doctors have announced to comply with the directives of the LHC.

President YDA Rawalpindi Chapter Dr. Umar Saeed informed that the LHC ordered to restore services in IPDs and OPDs from Monday though the young doctors available in town decided to report at the allied hospitals Saturday afternoon. “The IPDs services would be restored from Saturday evening with the help of available strength of young doctors,” he said.

To a query, he said that working in all departments of the allied hospitals would be as per routine from Monday when all young doctors would be available to the hospitals. To a query, he said that the LHC has ordered cancellation of termination letters and show cause notices issued to the young doctors during the strike.

He added that the LHC has also ordered the committee formed by the provincial government comprising representatives of the YDA, Medical Teaching Association and the government authorities to finalize conclusive report on service structure of doctors within two weeks.Dr. Umar said that the LHC has informed the YDA leadership that it would regularly monitor the working of the committee.