YDA continues strike in OPD

LAHORE: The Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, continued strike in Out-Patients Department (OPD) in Services Hospital, on fifth consecutive day Saturday to protect their vested interests.

The YDA went on strike in Services Hospital after Anti-Corruption Establishment tried to arrest YDA, Punjab’s Senior Vice President Dr Atif Chaudhry in a corruption case of Rs 75 million in the hospital. As many as 17 doctors and other officials of Services Hospital were nominated in the corruption case. Poor patients continued to suffer in the absence of treatment services in outdoor ward of Services Hospital. 

The YDA was forced to resume services in emergency and indoor wards of Services Hospital after closing down entire hospital for five days by some invisible force. The YDA office-bearers announced to open emergency and indoor wards of Services Hospital at late evening press conference, declaring to continue complete strike in Services Hospital and expanding outdoor strike to all hospitals across Punjab in an earlier press conference organized in the morning of same day. 

Something serious happened with the intervention of an invisible force during the middle period of two press conferences Friday, which not only changed the body language but also demeanour of YDA leadership as they not only announced to withdraw their OPD strike call but also announced to call off strike in emergency and indoor wards of Services Hospital. During the six-hour period between two press conferences, YDA’s hard stance was softened and it had to eat its words without their demands being met with ACE sticking to zero tolerance on corruption.  As YDA’s demands of excluding Dr Atif, removal of secretary health, one-bed one-patient ratio in hospitals, free medicines and functioning of all equipment, completion of incomplete health projects, etc., were not met, the defeated leadership needed face-saving and announced to continue strike in outdoor ward of Services Hospital Saturday. 

The malafide of the YDA’s leadership was exposed at five-day strike in Services Hospital supposedly for patients’ rights but it turned out otherwise, as the poor patients had to bear the brunt of this inconceivable approach to deny treatment to the patients in order to fight for their rights. “The young doctors have lost moral authority to raise voice,” said a Health Department official, saying the YDA established its reputation of using patients as shields to blackmail the government. They have forgotten their Hippocratic Oath. 

The examples of YDA’s approach to protect interests of individuals of late was evident in the recent strike in Mayo Hospital and sit-in at Club Chowk on The Mall and now giving the call for OPD’s strike in hospitals across Punjab reflected a case of morality totally gone bankrupt. However, there is still a silver lining in the dark clouds as the young doctors across Punjab didn’t reciprocate the irresponsible strike calls of YDA’s leadership, as the two strikes were only restricted to two hospitals – Mayo Hospital and Services Hospital. The YDA has lost its way as it has lost sympathies of patients. “The YDA has no collective agenda,” said Dr Ayesha, adding it is playing on hollow slogans of patient’s welfare. The Punjab government in general and Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education (SHC&ME) in particular has acted as spectator. The government has been losing its writ to YDA’s whims, which helped YDA become a monster.