Govt body, medics meet to end strike in hospitals

LAHORE:The Punjab government’s high-powered committee held its first meeting with the representatives of Grand Health Alliance (GHA) late Wednesday evening to find a middle ground to help resume health delivery services in public sector hospitals in the province.

Under GHA’s banner, young consultants, doctors, nurses, paramedics and allied health professionals’ strike in public sector hospitals in Punjab entered the 28th day on Wednesday. They are continuing their protest against what they called privatization of hospitals under Punjab Medical Teaching Institutions (Reforms) Act 2019, on 8th day in indoor wards and 28th day in Out-Patients Department (OPDs) and all elective procedures at Operation Theatres (OTs) and central laboratories. The five-member committee, headed by Additional Chief Secretary Sardar Ajaz Ahmed Khan (Convener), along with four members i.e. Special Secretary SHC&ME Shakeel Ahmed, Vice-Chancellor Fatima Jinnah Medical University Prof Aamer Zaman, Chief Executive Mayo Hospital Prof Asad Aslam Khan and former Director General Health Dr Zahid Pervaiz, was holding a meeting with representatives of GHA on Wednesday night till the filing of this report. The committee has the mandate to take measures to resolve all the issues for resuming service delivery to patients in government hospitals in Punjab. The committee isnegotiating with GHA’s leaders on their reservations / objections / proposed amendments to the MTI (Reforms) Act 2019.

“The preliminary meeting of government’s high-powered committee with GHA’s leaders was held late Wednesday evening,” informed Dr Salman Haseeb Chaudhry, GHA Chairman, however, no decision has been taken so far.

He said that the government must commit to reverse all victimization against doctors, nurses and paramedics and College of Physicians and Surgeons Pakistan (CPSP) to withdraw its letter regarding cancellation of PG trainees’ registration for residency programme before starting any meaningful dialogue.

Meanwhile, almost a month long boycott of duties by doctors and medical staff in indoor wards, outdoor wards, operation theatres and central laboratories is multiplying the miseries of hapless patients. Thousands of patients are being deprived of treatment of minor operations, consultation, diagnosis and treatment of their ailments and injuries on a daily basis, while the worst hit were those who had been travelling from far-off districts to reach the mega teaching institutions only to be disappointed due to lack of healthcare services.

However, an extraordinary rush of patients has been witnessed in emergency wards of all hospitals, where consultation services are also being offered to OPD patients. Several patients have to go to the private hospitals for elective procedures, which puts extra financial burden on their pockets.