Young doctors force colleagues to stop work

LAHORE

The Mayo Hospital chapter of Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, continued to force strike in the hospital on an eighth consecutive day on Thursday.

The young doctors of Mayo Hospital forced their colleagues to stop discharging their duties to ensure that no patient got treatment in Out-Patient Department (OPD) and indoor wards in the hospital. However, the administration has been taking alternative measures to ensure provision of treatment services to the patients with the help of non-protesting young doctors and some senior doctors.

The YDA’s protesting group has also set up a protest camp in Mayo Hospital, and according to them, no government official has paid visit to hold negotiations with the protesting doctors.

They claimed that the young doctors in other hospitals, including Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Lady Aitchison Hospital and Lady Wellington Hospital, were also boycotting their outdoor services. “The strike is being observed to show solidarity with doctors, nurses and paramedics of Mayo Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, who were tortured by the hooligans and victimised by the Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Punjab."

The protesting doctors demanded of the Health Department to withdraw its decision and reinstate doctors, nurses and paramedics. They also demanded resignation of the secretary of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Punjab. They demanded provision of foolproof security in hospitals of Punjab. “We will continue to withdraw our services from OPDs and indoor wards till the acceptance of our demands,” they added.

Pharmacists: The Young Pharmacists Association (YPA) held a protest demonstration in front of the Lahore Press Club on Thursday against alleged torture and illegal confinement of pharmacists in Quetta.

A large number of pharmacists from academia and hospital, drug inspectors, regulators, industry, consultants, lawyers and students held a protest demonstration while carrying banners and placards inscribed with their demands and chanting slogans in favour of their pharmacist fraternity. 

During the protest, Noor Mahar, senior pharmacist and drug law expert, condemned the arrest of pharmacists of Balochistan, who raised their voice for their rights and uplifting of pharmacy profession.