MULTAN City News

Doctors observe strike against shortage of health facilities
From Our Correspondent
MULTAN: Like other parts of the province, young doctors observed strike and staged a demonstration against shortage of medical facilities and staff in government hospitals here on Tuesday.
The protesting doctors led by YDA president Dr Kabir blocked Nishtar Road for about 3-4 hours. They were chanting slogans against the government. They demanded establishment of two new hospitals in Multan to cater to the needs of the patients. They said that the government was more interested in metro bus and road projects instead of upgrading the health facilities.
YDA president Dr Kabir said that the Nishtar Hospital was established in 1953 when the district population was 500,000. Now, the population had touched the figure of 5 million but no new hospital was established so far, he added. He said that former PM Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani had ordered the establishment of the District Headquarters Hospital at Sher Shah Bypass to reduce the burden on the Nishtar Hospital. He said that the hospital building was constructed but later the CM converted it into a kidney centre.
He said that the Punjab government had agreed to increase the number of beds from 1,100 to 1,750 at the Nishtar Hospital, but the funds had still not been released. He said that the Ch Pervaiz Elahi Institute of Cardiology was facing shortage of doctors. He demanded recruitment of 1,500 nurses at the Nishtar Hospital. He also demanded high-risk allowance and increase in salaries.
Meanwhile, the nurses demanded the government increase their salaries. According to the proposed package, minimum salary of a nurse should be Rs 50,000, of a head nurse Rs 70,000, of a nursing superintendent Rs 80,000 and of a chief nursing superintendent Rs 120,000.

Pregnant woman burnt alive by husband
From Our Correspondent
MULTAN: A pregnant woman was burnt alive by her husband and father-in-law here.
Muhammad Asif of Sanawan had contracted marriage with Rizwana Bibi about six years ago. The couple had developed differences some days ago. On Tuesday, Asif with his father and two others allegedly burnt his wife alive by sprinkling petrol on her. As a result, she received serious burns. She was shifted to the Nishtar Hospital in a critical condition. Sanawan police have registered a case and started investigation.