Doctors, paramedics continue strike across Sindh

SUKKUR: The doctors and paramedics continued their strike in government hospitals on the fifth day across Sukkur, Hyderabad, Khairpur, Ghotki, Shikarpur, Jacobabad, Mirpurkhas against abolishing of the risk allowance by the Sindh government and establishment of the Pakistan Medical Commission to replace the Pakistan Medical and Dental Council.

The strike by doctors and nurses involving boycott of OPDs and postponing of scheduled operations continues to cause misery to the patients who visit the hospitals from far-flung areas only to return dejected with more agony. The protesting doctors and nurses said that as the Covid-19 continues to prevail the medical professionals are playing a front-line role against it by putting their lives in jeopardy. But despite that the provincial government has withdrawn the Health Risk allowance which must be restored or they would be compelled to continue with their protests.

Meanwhile, they also rejected the establishment of the Pakistan Medical Association replacing its precursor, Pakistan Medical and Dental Council, terming it an unconstitutional, undemocratic and illegal body. Talking to newsmen, Dr.Zaffar Jatoi and others maintained that the dissolution of PMDC would cause deterioration in the standard of medical education and create problems for doctors serving abroad. Citing the judgment by apex court which has declared the government decision null and void, they said the new body has removed the mandatory domicile condition for admission to the government medical colleges. He said due to this the students from other provinces would graduate from Sindh medical colleges and leave to serve in their home provinces causing a shortage of doctors here. This would also prevent the locals from getting medical education in their provincial colleges, he said.