KP nursing body threatens to launch protest if demands not met

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Nursing Association on Tuesday presented charter of demands to the provincial government and threatened to launch a protest campaign if the demands were not accepted.

Speaking at a press conference at the Peshawar Press Club, president of the association, Inayatul Haq, alleged that the provincial government was denying due rights to nursing staff.

Flanked by the association’s general secretary Anwar Sultana, deputy president Saeeda Bano and others, he said that though the government had constituted a committee in the supervision of the secretary Health after their repeated protests to hold negotiations with the nursing staff, the committee did not do its job.

He said they had time and again sought time from the committee members and chief minister for talks but none of them was ready to meet the representatives of nurses.

The association office-bearers asked the government to announce service structure, upgrade the services, promote the nurses from grad-16 to 19, establish a separate directorate, increase the professional allowance, give risk allowance and allow private practice to nursing staff.

They set a week deadline for the government to accept the demands and warned of launching a protest drive if these were not met.