YDA calls for legislation…: Families of ministers, bureaucrats must get treatment at govt hospitals

LAHORE: The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab has urged Prime Minister Imran Khan to introduce a legislation to make it mandatory for ministers, advisors and bureaucrats to get their families’ treatment in government-run hospitals.

“The government must ban treatment of all political and administrative machinery of the government abroad,” said Dr Qasim Awan, president YDA Punjab Dr Salman Haseeb, general secretary Dr Shoaib Hussain Tarar, chairman, and other office-bearers, while addressing a press conference here at Doctors’ Hostel of Services Hospital on Thursday.

The YDA office-bearers also condemned former prime minister Nawaz Sharif’s over his continuous refusal to get treatment in government hospitals and not showing trust in the ability and expertise of Pakistani doctors. “The former rulers are negating their own claims of making Punjab’s hospitals model for entire country.”

In fact, they added, former prime minister and ex-chief minister of Punjab had always victimised young doctors’ community to fail their genuine movements for reforms in public sector hospitals in the province.

The YDA also opposed Medical Teaching Institutes (MTI) Reforms Act, declaring it a death knell for public sector hospitals. They demanded maintaining welfare status of the government-run hospitals instead of converting them into corporate business. They hinted at launching a movement against handing over of the government hospitals to private contractors.

They also condemned political interference in government hospitals, saying that former medical superintendent of Rawalpindi hospital Dr Tariq Niazi was being victimised for refusing to obey illegal order of Punjab Law Minister Raja Basharat. They demanded MS Dr Tariq Niazi’s reinstatement, and elimination of the culture of nepotism, favouritism and flouting of merit in hospitals in the province.

While condemning torture of doctors and medical staff in Kabirwala, Multan and Bahawalnagar, the YDA demanded the Punjab government immediately promulgate a law for security in public sector hospitals in Punjab.

They condemned reducing supply of hepatitis and anti-rabies medicines and surgical supplies after significantly cutting down budget for local purchase in hospitals. They demanded the government establish 100 new hospitals all over the country. They also demanded establishment of attached-hostels for lady doctors in Dera Ghazi Khan, Rahim Yar Khan, Gujrat and Lahore and other parts of the province.