PIMS employees to protest reforms law tomorrow

Islamabad :The All Employees PIMS Restorations Movement has announced that the staff members of the hospital will march from their workplace to the National Press Club tomorrow (Monday) to record a protest and declare future strategy against the proposed transformation of the PIMS into a medical teaching institution.

"Special assistant to the premier on health services Dr Zafar Mirza had promised not to go ahead with the so-called hospital reforms plans without getting the concurrence of all stakeholders, including us, but as he didn’t keep his word and got the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences, Islamabad, Reforms Act, 2019, approved by the cabinet without consultation, we (staff members) have decided to gather in front of the PIMS Administration block on Monday before marching to the National Press Club to stage a protest and address a presser to announce future strategy against the so-called PIMS reforms legislation," Dr Asfandyar Khan, a spokesperson for the All Employees PIMS Restorations Movement, told 'The News'.

He said the decision for the protest was made during a meeting of the movement's general body, where professors, consultants, medical officers, nurses, paramedics, and gazetted and non-gazetted staff showed up.

Dr Asfandyar said the participants a resolution against the proposed PIMS Reforms Act, 2019, and demanded its immediate withdrawal.

"We reject the privatization of PIMS in the name of reforms. Dr Zafar Mirza had promised that the hospital will remain in Schedule 3 and that the proposed legislation will be made only after employees agree to it. However, he didn't keep his words and betrayed us all by taking it to the cabinet for consent," he said.

Dr Asfandyar also flayed Dr Mirza for not fulfilling the promise of pay raise for postgraduate trainees, house officers, and medical officers.

"We condemn this irresponsible attitude of the premier's special assistant and will support the protest announced by PIMS Young Doctors Association on Monday to press the government for early pay raise notification," he said.