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Tuesday March 19, 2024

Doctors’ strike enters fifth day

By Our Correspondent
October 15, 2019

LAHORE:The young doctors and medical staff’s strike in Out-Patients Department (OPDs) in public sector hospitals across Punjab entered fifth day on Monday against what they called privatisation of hospitals under the Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (Reforms) Ordinance 2019.

On the call of Grand Health Alliance (GHA), the young doctors, young consultants, nurses, paramedical staff, allied health professionals and all healthcare associations boycotted their duties to perform elective services including outdoor, operation theatres, radiological and pathological services in mega teaching institutions including Mayo Hospital, Services, Hospital, Children’s Hospital, Lahore General Hospital, Jinnah Hospital, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Shaikh Zayed Hospital, Punjab Institute of Cardiology in Lahore as well as other districts across the province.

The miseries of the poor patients are continuously increasing due to lack of healthcare services in outdoor wards and OTs in hospitals of Punjab. Several patients have to go to the private hospitals for elective procedures, which puts extra financial burden on the poor patients. However, the authorities claimed provision of health facilities at OPDs with the help of consultants and administrative doctors.

As the status quo prevailed, the GHA announced continuing OPDs strike and warned the government of extending strike to indoor wards if this ‘anti-healthcare’ legislation was not withdrawn.

patients: Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Secretary Momin Agha has said treatment of patients in all government hospitals is going on according to routine.

According to a report, 3,700 patients in OPD of Jinnah Hospital, 5,153 in Ganga Ram Hospital, 1,900 in Service and 1,392 patients in Mian Munshi Hospital were treated and checked. He said all medical superintendents of all hospitals are monitoring activities of OPDs. No patient is facing problem in government hospitals. Holidays of all doctors, nurses and paramedical staff are cancelled due to current circumstances.

treatment: King Edward Medical University Vice Chancellor Prof Khalid Masood Gondal and Principal Services Institute of Medical Sciences Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz had a meeting with all faculty members and doctors.

MSs of all government hospitals of Lahore are monitoring check-up and treatment of patients themselves. MS Jinnah Hospital Dr Iftikhar remained at counter to register every patient for check-up. All doctors and staff are committed to the leadership of VICE Chancellor, principals, deans and medical superintendents. Doctors, nurses and paramedical staff stood against wrong protest of some miscreants. Doctors said on this occasion that they will not allow any scuffle on the premises of hospitals.

Treatment in all government hospitals continues without any interruption. Hospital administration has made foiled all false agenda of such elements. All operation theatres and OPD activities at Mayo Hospital continue under the leadership of Vice Chancellor KEMU Prof Dr Khalid Masood Gondal.

Special Secretary Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Mian Shakeel addressed the faculty members and doctors of Mayo Hospital in Surgical Tower.

He cleared all reservations of doctors regarding MTI act. Principal SIMS Prof Dr Mahmood Ayaz also met with all faculty members along with MS Service Hospital Dr Saleem Cheema.