OPDs across Punjab remain shut on 16th day as doctors, nurses continue protests

LAHORE: The Out-Patients Department (OPDs) in public sector hospitals across Punjab remained closed on 16th consecutive day on Friday as the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) once again held a protest demonstration outside the office of Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education (SHC&ME) Department on Friday now against issuance of show-cause notices to doctors and nurses for resisting the privatisation of hospitals under Punjab Medical Teaching Institutes (Reforms) 2019.

A large number of young doctors, nurses, paramedical staff, allied health professionals and all healthcare associations burnt notices terming it victimisation of medical community at the behest of health minister.

They demanded Chief Minister Usman Buzdar refrain Health Minister Dr Yasmin Rashid from adopting the tactics of victimisation, which they claimed would not work to kill their spirits rather give more impetus to their movement to stop implementation of MTI Act in hospitals across Punjab.

Meanwhile, the Out-Patients Department (OPDs) in public sector hospitals across Punjab remained closed on 16th consecutive day Friday, thanks to the boycott of services by young doctors and medical staff against, what they called privatisation of hospitals under Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (Reforms) Act 2019. They 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.

This prolonged strike has multiplied miseries of poor patients in the absence of healthcare services in outdoor wards and OTs in hospitals of Punjab. Extraordinary rush of patients is being witnessed in emergency wards of mega teaching hospitals. Several patients have to go to the private hospitals for elective procedures, which puts extra financial burden on the patients.