YDA wants implementation of revised service structure

Rawalpindi
Young doctors held a protest at Benazir Bhutto Hospital (BBH) here on Thursday putting their demands before the Punjab government, including promotion and implementation of service structure, increase in salaries and paid seats for postgraduate trainees along with free and quality healthcare services for poor patients.
The Young Doctors Association (YDA), Benazir Bhutto Hospital, organised the protest as part of a demonstration series launched by the YDA Punjab in December 2014. The young doctors went on symbolic strike at the outpatient department of the BBH on Thursday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The protest started with a seminar which was attended by nearly 250 young doctors serving at the allied hospitals. YDA President Dr. Haider Akhtar informed the participants of the demands of young doctors.
He said that the YDA is holding a series of protests all across the province because the Punjab government did not keep its promise of fulfilling demands of the YDA after reaching an understanding with the YDA after a months long strike by young doctors in 2012.
Dr. Haider Akhtar put agenda of the demands of the YDA before the participants of the seminar, saying that the rightful demands include increase in paid seats for postgraduate trainees and implementation of promotion and service structure for young doctors serving at all healthcare facilities under the provincial government.
He informed the participants that over 3,300 doctors are waiting for their time-scale promotions as per rules. He said the YDA has been demanding of the government to induct doctors in Grade-18 by implementing revision of pay scales for doctors.
He said that the Punjab government agreed upon increasing salaries of medical officers, postgraduate trainees and house officers in 2012, but it did not fulfil its promise as yet. He said the YDA is demanding the Punjab government to affiliate Postgraduate Medical Institute Sheikh Zayed Hospital, Lahore, with the University of Health Sciences. The YDA also demanded paid house jobs for medical graduates of private institutions and foreign countries, he added.
Later, former president of YDA at BBH Dr. Bilal addressed the participants of the seminar and explained to them the foundation principle of the YDA in Punjab. He asked the government to resolve issues related to treatment facilities at healthcare facilities in the province.
Addressing participants, he highlighted problems being faced by patients at the BBH. He said a CT Scan which was approved months back has not been installed at the BBH as yet while a number of ventilators installed at the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital are out of order for months.
After the seminar, young doctors organised a walk from Administration Block of the hospital to Benazir Bhutto Road. The protesters raised slogans against the policies of the government. Later, young doctors dispersed peacefully.
Medical Superintendent at BBH Dr. Asif Qadir Mir, when contacted by ‘The News’ on Thursday, said that young doctors went on symbolic strike and their protest did not affect working in any department of the hospital, including OPD.