Paramedics protest today

LAHORE
Paramedical staff and health support staff of teaching hospitals under Punjab Paramedical Alliance (PPA) will hold a rally and stage a sit-in at Club Chowk in front of Chief Minister’s Secretariat on Monday (today).
Earlier, the PPA talks to resolve the issue with Punjab Health Department remained inconclusive as adviser to CM on Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq, Secretary, Health, Jawad Rafiq Malik and DG Health Dr Zahir Pervaiz failed to convince them to call off their strike and protest.
The PPA, chairman, Malik Munir said the services will be withdrawn from outdoor wards, indoor wards and operation theatres to observe strike in hospitals and hold a protest demonstration on the city roads. The paramedics and health support staff from all over Punjab will start rally from Jinnah Hospital on Canal Road, turn to Jail Road and then reach Club Chowk to stage a sit-in. The paramedics of Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Punjab Institute of Mental Health, Punjab Institute of Cardiology, Services Hospital and Sir Ganga Ram Hospital will join the rally to finally stage a sit-in at Club Chowk. Besides, the paramedics from Lahore General Hospital, Children’s Hospital and Mayo Hospital will also join the protest. The PPA leaders say the Punjab government had not given service structure to grade-1 to grade-4 employees, while implementation on promised service structure of grade-5 to grade-17 paramedics was stopped and health professional allowance had also not been given. They demanded to regularise employees of Boards of Management, daily wagers and work-charge employees in hospitals.