Paramedics in KP warn of protest if demands not met

PESHAWAR: Paramedics on Monday asked the government and Health Department to implement the notification on the ratio enhancement, restructuring and accept other demands or else they would launch a protest campaign.

The demand and decision to launch the protest campaign was taken at a meeting of the Paramedical Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, which was held with its president Syed Roedad Shah in the chair.

Office-bearers of the body from across the province attended the meeting and discussed the delay in implementation of the notification regarding the ratio enhancement and restructuring of paramedical staff and a strategy to push the government to solve the problems being faced by the paramedics.

Roedad Shah said though the government and Health Department had issued the ratio enhancement and restructuring notification for paramedical staff, it could not be implemented despite a lapse of several weeks which, he said, caused concern among the paramedics. He alleged the government was using delaying tactics in giving one-time promotion, initial promotion and recruitment of the degree holders, starting Bachelor of Science (BS) classes in the province and accepting other legitimate demands.

The paramedics' representative demanded the launching of BS classes at the Post-Graduate Paramedical Institute (PGPI). Roedad expressed concern over some clauses of the Medical Teaching Institution Act, saying they were not against bringing reforms to improve healthcare services at public sector hospitals but wanted to safeguard due rights of the employees. He asked the government to give representation to paramedics in the health task force committee, stop Healthcare Commission from harassing qualified paramedics working in private clinics, set up Paramedical Council and cancel the transfer orders of office-bearers of association.