MULTAN City News

Doctors reject central induction policy

From Our Correspondent

MULTAN: The United Doctors Forum (UDF) has rejected the central induction policy and announced resisting it at all levels across the province.

Addressing doctors at the Nishtar Hospital here on Thursday, UDF chief patron Dr Masoodur Rauf Hiraj said that a doctors’ delegation would soon meet the Punjab Health Department high-ups and convince them to repeal the policy. He warned of taking out rallies and staging demonstrations against the policy. He said that the doctors were hired for eight-hour duty but they performed round-the-clock and got salaries for eight hours work.

Criticising doctors’ shortage at the Nishtar Hospital, Dr Masood said the 1,100 beds hospital had been upgraded to 1,700 beds without providing additional medical officers to cover the additional strength of 600 beds. He said that the hospital budget was also not increased. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Imran Rafiq underlined the need for resumption of democratic process in the medical institution and fresh elections of the Pakistan Medical Association. He urged the doctors to unite for their interests.

Dr Sheikh Abdul Khaliq highlighted the problems being faced by the doctors. He demanded the government increase the hospital budget and appoint new doctors.

Dr Zulqarnain Haider said that the central induction policy was reducing the role of medical colleges. He said that the doctors were in contact with the UDF to adopt a joint strategy against the policy. He said that a large number of doctors had rejected freezing of election process in the PMA.

The doctors unanimously passed a resolution, rejecting the central induction policy. The participants demanded free and fair elections of the Pakistan Medical Association, giving an opportunity to an elected leadership through democratic process to raise voices for the rights of doctors. They criticised the government for playing with the future of junior doctors in the name of the central induction policy.