Unrest grows against PIMS reforms bill as young medics to close OPDs from 23rd

Islamabad : Amid growing unrest in the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences over the prolonged 'denial' of pay raise and job insecurity due to the proposed reforms legislation, young doctors of the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences announced that they would boycott duty from September 23.

The announcement was made after the PIMS Young Doctors Association's general council held a meeting in the hospital here.

The YDA leaders complained that the top bosses of the national health services ministry, which had the administrative control of their hospital, had given them false assurances of the early pay raise and resolution of issues during the last eight months.

They said the persistent 'deceit and dishonesty' of those calling the shots at the health ministry, especially special assistant to the premier Dr Zafar Mirza, over the PIMS pay raise and reforms issues was condemnable.

The YDA leaders said the health ministry had failed to take any tangible measure to fulfil its promise of giving a reasonable pay rise to young doctors and taking them into confidence over the proposed reforms legislation.

They said neither the promised pay raise had been notified nor were the house officers or postgraduate residents, who were the backbone of the hospital, likely to get that.

The YDA leaders said under the depressing circumstances, the association had decided that the young doctors of the hospital would go on strike from September 23 and would close down outpatient departments and boycott duty at all health unit.

They warned if their demands were not met, then the strike would be extended to other hospitals and the government would be to blame if the patient care was affected.

The YDA leader also criticised Dr Zafar Mirza for 'keeping them in the dark' about the PIMS Reforms Act, 2019, despite the repeated promises of consultation and got it approved by the federal cabinet.

They said they would go to any lengths to block the passage of that proposed legislation by parliament.

The All Employees PIMS Restorations Movement has already rejected the proposed law and warned that the staff would close down the hospital and move the court to protect own and patients’ interests.