Service structure: YDA withdraws protest call after government forms committee

The 10-member body will submit recommendations within 30 days.

LAHORE:

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab on Monday called off its protest after the Punjab government constituted a committee to reorganise health professionals’ service structure.

According to the notification, a copy of which is available with The Express Tribune, the 10-member committee will submit its recommendations to the chief minister in 30 days.

Khawaja Salman Rafique, the special assistant to the chief minister on health, has been appointed as the committee chairperson.

Other members include Senator Pervaiz Rahsid, the law and parliamentary affairs secretary, the health secretary, the regulation secretary, the finance secretary, the prosecution secretary and a representative each from the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA), the Young Doctors Association (YDA) and the Medical Teachers Association (MTA).

The first meeting of the committee has been called on Tuesday (today).

Dr Nasir Bokhari, a spokesperson for the Young Doctors Association (YDA) Punjab, said that YDA Punjab had planned on starting protests from Wednesday but had cancelled its plans after the formation of the committee.

“We are happy that a committee has been constituted,” he said, “and are hopeful that a new service structure for doctors will be chalked out.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 8^th, 2012.