Young doctors spoil convention

LAHORE: Young doctors spoiled Postgraduate Resident Convention here Wednesday at University of Health Sciences as they chanted slogans against the Secretary for Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education – the man behind the Central Induction Policy under Punjab Residency Program – as soon as he came to the dais to deliver his speech on the online system of inductions in postgraduate programs in the province. The doctors raised slogans against Secretary SHC&ME Najam Ahmad Shah during the CIP Convention organized by the CIP Committee at Shams Auditorium of UHS, for what they called “controversial” system of inductions into postgraduate programs in the province. At one moment, some of the young doctors appeared to be poised to physically attack the secretary but it was prevented by some of the participants of the convention.

The candidates, selected through Central Induction Policy, criticized the new policy and later boycotted the convention. The Young Doctors Association (YDA), Punjab, is all set to lead a protest rally and long march from Services Hospital to Club Chowk on The Mall on August 1, 2017 with their main demand of withdrawal of Central Induction Policy and resignation of the Secretary SHC&ME.

Meanwhile according to a spokesman of the Health Department, the proceedings of the symposium regarding Postgraduate Induction Policy, attended by all residents of postgraduate programmes including MD, MS, MDS and FCPS, were continuing in a pleasant manner when some unruly doctors belonging to Young Doctors Association (YDA) started hooliganism and raised slogans against Secretary Health.

Senior teachers, who were present in the ceremony, along with Chairman Committee Prof. Muhammad Awais, Vice Chancellor Prof. Junaid Sarfraz Khan, VC KEMU Prof. Qazi Saeed, Prof. Aamir Zaman Khan and Prof. Abrar Ashraf faced the situation bravely and foiled the designs of the hooliganism group. Majority of PGRs participating in the convention displayed disassociation with those trying to disrupt the situation and took part in the proceeding of the convention.

Secretary Health Najam Ahmed Shah said that Online Postgraduate Induction Policy has replaced corruption and nepotism with merit and transparency which is resulting in improvement of medical education. The CIP committee and the Secretary responded to the questions of postgraduate trainee doctors and removed reservations of PG doctors. Secretary Najam Ahmed Shah said that Punjab Residency Program (PRP) is implementing successfully; however direct feedback from students with regard to their induction and training was important. He directed induction committee to develop a system for this purpose. Later, he held informal talk with the trainee doctors and listened to their problems.