Senior doctors held two rounds of talks with the young doctors, during the day and in the evening, but the doctors refused to end the strike, after which the senior doctors told the government to take the next required course of action.
The Punjab government has decided to appoint 1000 medical officers on Monday. A list of those doctors has been acquired from the Public Service Commission (PSC) by Secretary Health. Walk-in interviews will be held on Monday and Tuesday.
Outdoor patients in hospitals of Lahore and throughout Punjab will start receiving treatment from Monday onwards.
Earlier in the day, The Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) refused to end their strike at the 3pm deadline given by the Punjab government.
During the day, speaking to the media YDA members showed some flexibility in their demands, but then later refused to call off the strike, after the general body meeting, until all their demands were met.
There was no consensus amongst the doctors on ending the strike.
The Punjab government had given them a deadline of 3pm to end their strike, or strict action would be taken against them, including termination. The provincial government has decided to hire 454 female doctors along with deputing 150 doctors from the army medical corp.
All of these doctors would check patients in the hospital’s outdoor ward.
Meanwhile in Gujranwala, 150 doctors responsible for the strike there, are to be arrested, according to a list obtained by Express News, which has been prepared by the provincial and federal agencies.
The list comprise of 80 young doctors, 70 senior doctors and 18 lady doctors.
According to sources, the arrests would begin tonight.
MS Civil Hospital Captain Zafar said that 16 doctors from the army corp will take charge of the outdoor ward at the hospital on Monday.
YDA leader Dr Kashif Bilal has threatened to withdraw doctors from operation theatres if any arrests took place.
COMMENTS (65)
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Do people know there is a College in Punjab that is spreading the International Education in Punjab? that is one and only one - Swift Group of Colleges. then why to go some where else for education. go for Swift Group of Colleges. nice post.
After reading numerous comments, I just want to highlight a few points that caught my eye which I have outlined below:
1) Please its medical reps, short for medical representatives and not 'medical raps' 2pac, lil' wayne or anything else like that
2) 'Cream of Pakistan' - are you serious or on hallugens? What makes you superior to others from differing professions? Even if you came sealed and packed in Tetra Pak cartons you would be the furthest thing from being a 'cream'
Thats about it for now. Best of luck for your greed driven quest.
A police constable gets Rs. 40,000 starting pay while a Physician gets Rs. 15,000. Is this even remotely fair.
End the welfare state and make people pay there fair share for health care. If they can hoard gold and silver for jahez, they can pay for health care.
Doctors are behaving with poor nation just like terrorist. They don't remember that poor nation afford at least 2.5 million for each doctor for their education from its taxes. After their education they demand high salaries and service structures which is not possible for this nation. As all of us know CSS officers, engineers, lawmakers starts their jobs from grade 17 why can not doctors start from grade 17. Are they not the part of this nation if not they should buried their degrees and go to foreign..
Alas,these selfish people who called themselves doctor infact they are canaballs and maneaters,I hate them because their heart did not melt seeing the crying and weeping patient.They are men of money only they deserved to be kicked out and terminated from their jobs.And let those kindhearted and jobless doctors who are breaking their shoes in search of livelihood, be bestowed with their vacant posts.What explanation will u produce before your Allah on the day of judgement oh cruel wolves ! for the death of tens of innocent lives who died of yours negligence and selfishness.You are a band of criminals who deserve no leniency.I salute pak army who stands with the nation at all the times of crisis.I also recommend the killer doctors to be imprisioned like a common criminal.No discrimination at all.At the times of emergency the deceive the pakistani nation.Oh you hypocrites !
If the strike is not about money i am with doctors. But doctors must realize the miseries of poor patient who cannot afford private hospitals expenses. Government must implement proper services structure and remove bureaucrats from helms of healthcare departments. These positions must be given to medical professionals. God i hate bureaucrats they have ruined nearly every institution of our country.
Mr. Shehbaz Sharif definitely terminate/fire only all the on-protest doctors and even black list them so that they couldn't get job any where in Pakistan and abroad as well because already they are receiving +50000 monthly salary and demanding for more facilities/allowances.
U non-docs dnt know anything bout the strike,first of all it was only for opd for demand of service structure passed by supreme court 1.5 yrs ago,n opd deals with cold cases,not involving emergency,dialysis,labour,operation.y r u people lookin down on us as ultimate nemesis,in the end its us who give u n ur loved 1s releif from ailments,we r just fighting for our rights.as every other gov profession has its service structure,so we should also have 1.
very well decision. Kick them those who don't regard being employed (at good wages) in this poor country. Let the new breed come in to take control. Govt must take oath from new commers to not follow the same path as YDA
Aliya mention other ways to protest kindly??????? u have mouth tht doesnt mean u start speaking.
@faizanpervaiz I am chartered accountant doing my articles in a CA Firm they use us normaly like animals but as compared to your house job pay @ 24000 do you know what we are being paid???? 6500 rupees only fro 3.5 years. can we strike out???. If you have problem then resign and find another job in a private hospital and let the market decide your worth. I have audited a pharmaceutical Company and was shocked Doctors are most "corrupt" community they have bribed money to prescribe medicine. 90% medicines are sold through bribing Doctors. Doctors Salary Rs. 50,000 approximately Doctors Evening time clinic income Rs. 15,000-25,000 minimum Rishwat income from medicine companies Rs. 20,000-30,000
Yeh wo "haram" ap logon k ander bol rha hay jo pichly 15-20 years se ap medicin companies se kha rhe ho. Kia kbi Doctors ne apmi is Haram ki income ko Public men expose kia hay????????? Or kia khao gy haddian b kha jao public ki............
I understand that nothing can justify stopping the treatment for poor patients but would want to ask those who are so critical of doctors how much time and money they have spent to help poor people. If they are not doctors this does not mean they themselves do not have a responsibility. It is not easy to be a junior doctor in Pakistan with such degree of hostility towards them. It was hard enough for me and after working in Jinnah hospital for a year with no pay, I left for US. Not an easy choice to leave your people but did not want to be dependent on my parents and a corrupt system. God help our poor patients. I would rather send the money now to build clinic or hospital rather than coming back at least for sometime.
all protest is bad unless it is against PPP
@Awans: Dear all the cadres have the service structure but no such service structure is available for doctors. Punjab high court has ordered to formulate the service structure and Punjab government promised but unfortunately Punjab government is not obeying the orders of the court and nor fulfilling his promise. This is root cause of the problem
Slave labour ended in 1865, I guess we were never informed!!!!
I see a lot of blind PML.N supporters or gullible idiots who have been jumping on the YDA bandwagon. Which one are you????
Media needs to stop demonizing doctors and people need to stop following blindly.
@Awans: The reason is that doctors are forced to work 80+ hours/week, they dont want to work in govt hospitals , they are forced to work so that they can get their certifications. This is what I call modern day slavery.
I would gladly work 4-5 hrs/ day to get my certificate without pay, and then earn at my own private clinic , i dont need the government meager pay, but the problem is that the timings at these hospitals are so tough that no one gets time to do anything. 80-100hrs/week without sleep or rest is insane, when we get home all we do is rest and go back to work the next day. there are no vacations , we have to work on eid, holidays ect, I get only 2 days off/ month this is insane, dont raise our pay but for God's sake please dont force us to work to insanity.
@Jibran: ''Fall of the poverty level'...'' Do you even know the definition of poverty level? It means 1$ a day, for sure all doctors are above that.
All these young doctors should be rounded up & taken to jail to show them some poverty and hard-life.
Honestly, I am appalled by the level of ignorance that has overcome the readers of this newspaper. Firstly, if you have the chance, get off your rear-ends and take a stroll down to the hospitals of Lahore, including Mayo Hospital, Services, etc. and you will find that PATIENTS ARE NOT BEING DEPRIVED OF HEALTH SERVICES. The Out-Patient Departments are closed, but patients (even non-emergent patients) are STILL being catered to in the Emergency Departments. Although the young doctors are on strike, senior doctors are still available to ensure adequate provision of healthcare to the public. Unfortunately, we've all become victims of the puppetry of the media, who thrive on conspiracy and provocative, twisted headlines. Wake up people!
I read somewhere that doctors take oath to save lives even if they are off duty. But, here its completely different, we're almost bankrupt and yet these guys every year go out on strike like ignorant fools and demand more salary.
N leage media campaign in full swing..Today these goons attacked hospitals with the edia cheering them on....Not a single emergency pt was turned away through out the strike... The Youg Doctors were making Noora leage look like foold on the media and now they have to pay... YDA only is asking for a service structure that every government dept has....I am surprised why ppl think its unreasonable....40,000 after 5 years of training and no facilities whatsoever..Is it really that much???. With no path to promotions or proper training pathways. Spend a 36 hr call in the hospital with limited staff, untrained paramediacal staff, no records and rationed healthcare and you will be surprised why would anyone ever want to go into this field.
i will not blame doctors for everything here. they are talking about working conditions also not just money if everyone resigns then who would do the job. the solution is that the conditions should improve for the doctors not everyone resigning or everyone going to the private sectors. As a human being after studying 5 years i would not be able to work sincerely for 12-14 hours everyday if i am not able to get my both ends meet. this is not a typical 9-5 job with sat sun off.
the ground reality is * indefinite* strike is the only solution to everything in the current circumstances.we should understand this is the only and only way the government notices the problem.
@Jibran: I am a resident in US. We work 36 hour shifts and are treated harshly by doctors and nurses and trust me we do not make that much money. You are right that doctors are paid handsomely but that is only if you find a good job and for that you have to work like a dog, literally! Not all doctors are living comfortably in US.. There are doctors who are broke in the US and they have to do multiple jobs (diff hospitals, private practice, extra shifts) to make enough money, do your research!
I am not saying the demands these doctors have are not legit, I'm just saying that we have to work our butts off to make a comfortable living, It's not just handed to us! Plus let's not forget the debt we have to pay back by the time we become doctors!
In any case, a strike is ridiculous. Protest all you want but refusing to treat patients goes against what we are taught. You can't abandon patients.. Sick people come to doctors for help..you can't say no!
@faizanpervaiz: I understand what your saying and your completely correct.. But abandoning your patients is not a good thing. Sick poor people are dying cuz of your actions! You took an oath, stand up and do your job. There are many other ways to protest! Plus this is not tit for tat kinda situation.. You decisions you make affects other lives not just yours. You choose this profession, don't be selfish now.
Those who hallucinate and call themselves "Cream"---someone should tell them that they are actually 'scum bags' ----- there should be no negotiations anymore. Just kick them out of the services and let them find out their worth.
Don't blame the doctors for the misery of the patients. It is government's responsibility to provide decent healthcare, and not doctors'. Now the question is why the new "1000 applicants" for walkin interviews were declined a job previously? Because they were not competent enough? How all of a sudden they will become qualified to serve the medical needs of the province. With this meager salary the government can employ only the Hakims. No wonder why Khadim-e-Aala goes to London for his medical treatment, and the Military officials do their treatment in Pakistan. One reason: the latter employ their best. Whereas the Khadim-e-Aala never really want to provide healthcare, he just want it to look like there is some healthcare.
In view of above comments I do agree with public views and Doctor's views as well. But what is this humanity that these Doctors are on strike for last two weeks and forgot the nobility of the profession that there job is to save the life and not to become the reason of the death of unattended innocent patients. This is what is happening in all hospitals that poor people are facing hardship. In my opinion these doctors have exceeded their limits and have resulted a mistrust and therefore they have no right to serve the deprived public>>>>>>>.
@Umair: I'm an Engineer. Im not getting the same pay that Indian Govt gives to their Engineer. Why shouldn't I get job directly in BPS-18? Doctors triple their income by private clinics? Engineer cannot afford/impossible to install his own factory........Should i go on strike?
Why are they striking ? Doctors went on strike in the UK.
@Abdul Jabbar: For your kind information, doctors are paid handsomely in the US. Only when you are resident (may be equivalent of house job) your salary is lower. But not as low as you fall below the poverty level. They have the medical insurance, and other benefits. Please stop lying for the sake of argument.
Punjab government decides it again? I thought the issue was resolved yesterday, when they said all YDA doctors have been fired, and replaced by an army of new doctors, and those from the army as well.
Punjab government is trying to play dirty tricks with the doctors to intimidate them and their family members.
@Umair: punjab govt is doing right! black mailing should not be accepted
I thought khadim-e-Aala wanted to bring revolution. May be his definition of revolution means an end to the voices of descent, rights of workers, and government officials, and run a dictatorial, tyrannical and totalitarian government. Imagine what it would be like in entire Pakistan, if he comes to the central government.
I have no mercy for the young doctors who have left the patients in the hospitals to die.
The first and foremost duty of a doctor is to save precious human life, no matter from which cast, creed or religion the patient belongs to.
If the demand of doctors are met in Punjab, the doctors serving in other provinces will also go on strike and will come up with their illegitimate demands in other provinces.
The best solution of this problem is that doctors who have gone on strike should immediately report to their duties in their respective hospitals and give time to the Punjab government to come up with a solution which should be a win win situation for the Punjab government as well as for the young doctors.
Very Good.... Doctors are suppose to be Doctors not STRIKERS or ROBBERS .... I appreciate Government's decision
Everywhere in the world young doctors on training perform long working hours and also are paid less during Ist 3 years. Doctors in Punjab are highly paid as compard to rest of pakistan. If their demands are met , then patients of other provinces will suffer as doctors in sind and KPK will follow same tactics to their demands accepted. I applaud CM punjab who took take this bold step although it is unpopular but Right for dicipline. Abdul Jabbar USA
My disagreement with the current strike is because of YDA inefficiency.Why YDA is so gullible that they call off the previous few strikes on mere assurances? The demands are just. Its surprising to know that the oppressors(Punjabi Government) are feeling the pain of general public but its more astonishing that revolution mongers are against the revolutionary aka revolting doctors. Strange, isn't it. Arguments given against the strike are: 1. What if your family member dies during the strike. Logical but an emotional argument. Those who consider their life or their family member's life dear are not true with the cause. thus I dismiss the argument. 2.Hippocratic oath bound us to serve the humanity. Its preposterous that you are bounding me (us) but you damn care about your own oath. I know, I am digressing from my argument as two wrongs doesn't make a right. People often confuse the contact between the employer and employee with a contract between Doctor and patient. The conflict is between employer and employee. Remember the Ford strike during the culmination of second world war? Try to recall the 1948 Pakistan India conflict , where RAF (then Pak Air force) refused to provide air cover. Furthermore,Reference PM&DC Ordinance 16th July 2011 Section 9 Sub-Section 2 (a) ; A medical or dental practitioner shall be free to choose whom to serve,with whom to associate and lay the timings and place of professional services to be provided. Sub Section 2(b); A medical or dental practitioner shall not be bound to treat each and every person asking his/her services. Enough said.
Many strikes around the World have been about similar issues. One of the most famous strikes was in the Mediterranean island state of Malta, which lasted for 10 years.7 The origin of this strike lay with low pay for RMOs, leading to problems with recruitment (as new medical graduates left the country as soon as possible after graduation). A new role was subsequently established called temporary medical offices (TMOs). These TMOs were required to work long hours for low pay. To correct this chronic shortage of junior doctors, the Maltese Government made it compulsory for all graduating doctors to serve as housemen in public hospitals for 2 years. The senior doctors protested and, as a result, the Government brought in overseas doctors from Libya, Algeria, Cyprus, Czechoslovakia, and Egypt at three times the rate the local doctors were being paid. Many of the Maltese doctors left for the UK and other countries, no doubt to large pay increases themselves. Amongst those who left were the teaching staff from the medical school, leading to the Malta Medical School losing the General Medical Council (GMC) and international recognition of the Maltese medical degree. The Maltese Labour Party in power at the time lost the next election. The National Government which replaced the Labour Government attempted to reappoint doctors at higher pay rates than those who had lost their jobs, however by them many were well-established elsewhere in other countries—in fact, some of the most famous British surgeons over the past 20 years have come from Malta.[sic] http://journal.nzma.org.nz/journal/119-1236/2037/
Please for God sake doctors stop saying such lofty things... " CREAM OF NATION".....Real knowledge makes you humble...not proud.... secondly people in other professions like lawyers, engineers, MBAs etc. are equally competitive and talented and they also start their careers at much lower pays but they toil through and progress...... Last but not the least, you call yourself CREAM OF NATION but your behavior suggests otherwise....instead you are behaving like mercenaries who is only concerned with the payment..........
@ inqalabi Dear what can we do? we are are just sufferers!! media mafia is just raising their ratings and earning money and just showing what people wanna see.... Shame on em!!
@ Dr qaiser I am NOT bound to tell YOU from which medical college have i studied!!! For YOUR kind information i DID NOT know anything before that in PAKISTAN, DOCTORS are being treated like animals!!! THIS IS THE COUNTRY OF POLITICIANS, MEDIA, JUDGES and BUREAUCRATS!!!
I really don't understand, There should be difference in Labour union and Doctors. Labourers protest and strike because they know they have to be there for all there life. Doctors wont be sitting there whole of there life. and it is there 36 hrs duties that make them tough and able for future. Secondly like any other profession if you are not satisfied with working conditions, resign and find a better one ( which there is none because there is certain level minimum experience is required for applying job in private sector & overseas) Now What should be solution.
I think Govt Should stop giving subsidized Medical education at medical colleges. Rather arrange for student Loans which they have repay within the period 10 year. Same funds transfered for better pay package and better health services for poor people.
I would like to ask my friend giving reference to indian Dr. to know how much it costs to be doctor in India.
@sameer Dear u i wont argue because u donno anythng!! but i jst i wanna tell u for ur knowledge a house jobian z not getting even a single penny other than 24000, he cant do any private practice neither he gets any black money for raps!! Get some sufficient knowledge before posting any thing on ET! with due respect!! and yeah a 17th grade officer z getting 45000!! you are right!!! but when he he 35 years of age!!! DISGUSTING!!!
@faizanpervaiz: Which medical college you have studied in? Are you the first doctor to pass through that rigour? Did you not know the salary structure for doctors before you decided to become a doctor?
@sameer, u dont have any factual information. stipends of the doctors all over pakistan iz equal but they dont have the 17 grades or 45,000 pay as u have mentioned. if i am earning by private practice i am working extra hours and give my extra time which otherwise i should be giving to myself and my family. Plus a 17 grade teacher, lawyer, bureaucrat and doctor are not equal in their responsibilities. we work double the hours of all these other profession. plus we work on Sundays, public holidays and more than 80 hours a week and even on the Eid days.. plz be factual when u write.
whoever z writing half truth here against the doctors community based on heresay are misled by the corrupt PMLN govt and the media... that is very unfortunate.. this movement is by the young doctors who neither have private clinics nor have any access to medical rep mafia. they work more than 80 hours a week and get less than 40,000 a month... plz stop being the spokesperson fore the corrupt govt. Instead stand by the common men which include the cream of the nation, the DOCTORS...
@faizanpervaiz: Mr faizan why are you lying? all doctors are in grade 17 and everyone knows that what benefits does a grade 17 officer have in Punjab. A grade 17 officer earns more than 45000 Rs and also you earn a lot through private practices and through medical raps. Besides tell me that what about doctors of Sindh, KPK , Balochistan and Azad Kashmir.? They are also human but doctors of Punjab are the most selfish in Pakistan.
This is insane, we are living in the cash stripped country where power outages are considered normal if they are scheduled. And these doctors are demanding as if they are performing their duties in USA. They are educated on the money of taxpayers and now they are refusing to cure the same people who funded their education. Average payment that the Govt. has to bear for completing the education of a single doctor is around 2.5 million. Their lust for power and perks has made them equal to thugs and bandits. Because poor people are facing the ultimate wrath of these doctor turned thugs. DISGUSTING!
At the time of being admitted as a member of the medical profession: I solemnly pledge myself to consecrate my life to the service of humanity; I will give to my teachers the respect and gratitude which is their due; I will practice my profession with conscience and dignity; The health of my patient will be my first consideration; I will respect the secrets which are confided in me, even after the patient has died; I will maintain by all the means in my power, the honour and the noble traditions of the medical profession; My colleagues will be my sisters and brothers; and I will pay due respect and honour to them. I will not permit considerations of age, disease or disability, creed, ethic origin, gender, nationality, political affiliation, race, sexual orientation, or social standing to intervene between my duty and my patient; I will protect human life in all stages and under all circumstances, doing my utmost to rescue it from death, malady, pain and anxiety. To be, all the way, an instrument of Allah’s mercy, extending medical care to near and far, virtuous and sinner and friend and enemy.” I make these promises solemnly, freely and upon my honour
I just wanna put some realitiies in front of you people bcoz i m a doctor.. u know ppl none of you know the reality... m doing house job in holy fam hospital pindi... i m 25 years old and i am doing 36hrz duty in hospital they dont even let us sleep for a moment... and wht am i earning??? only 24 thousand per month... being a doc where we r being treated like animals working day nd nights nd what they r providing us??? jst tell me z it nough for a person to get only 24 thousand per month?? nd working 36 hrz per shift????? what they r doin wid cream f nation?? in india they r gtng 80000 per month in house job which makes pakistani 150,000... do u think in such salary a doc can do his job properly?? nd they are talking abt shortage of budget???? oh really??? sir in a country whr they r constructing fly overs of worth billions f ruppes... we dont even have a blod pressure apparatus in hospitals to check the patients nd who z responsible for that??? we docs?????? or punjab gov who cant even provide us a bld pressure apparatus nd on other side constructing fly overs just for vote gaining???? providing laptops f billions f ruppees nd cant even provide beds for patients nd then who z responsible???? we????? try to find the reallity!!!!
@Gulfam Javed: What you people get from medical raps as rishwat where that go.
Everything in your houses from wall clock, writing pad to cars comes in rishwat from medical raps to prescribe their medicines. Still greed never ends. This is too much.
Doctors never give best medicines, they give the medicine on whom they have got the most rishwat
@Umair: I think Pakistan should focus on better entrance requirements for medical doctors. They should understand that they are entering the profession which requires long hours but average pay. These current striking doctors should have their licences revoked and forced to pay back the government for their subsidized education because they are so thankless. I support the CM of Punjab in not giving in to their childish selfish blackmail.
You know doctors in India get RS 80,000 after graduating. This is because they have to work very hard to become a doctor . On top of this a doctor is not doing a 9 to 5 job. Infact its a 12 hour job and on some days 24 hour jobs.
As such they should be given a much better salary. Shame on shabaz sharif for punishing these young doctors and not compensating them enough (like in India).
Punjab Government should resign over corruption as they spend money here and there and now cannot even fulfil doctors demand
The news report should have also mentioned the demands of YDA else the report misleads to evaluate their demand by public in general.Obviously the patients and their relatives will have grudge against the striking doctors.
@Gulfam Javed: Yeah Family is paramount and also needs and who cares if some Poor die but your worldly needs needs to be fulfilled. My brother worked hard and now he is a Grade 17 officer and he is an Engineer so tell me is he is a Sub Human or you are a Super Human as your needs outpar everyone else.?. He has the needs as well but he know what his responsibilities are. Also for your info you Got education on our Tax Payer's money as all Government Medical Colleges are subsidized and in the end it is the way you like to repay us. You lame chikni chupri Baatain will not work this time. Pakistan is a Poor country and that is how Every Individual wants more and in the end if Pakistan cannot give them what they want then they will abuse this nation.
Pakistan Government should Stop making doctors in Pakistan if they cant give them money to live...if some one has become a doctor why u r punishing him in the name of humanity... every one can play its part in other departments as well but they are bz in corruption.... so why every one is just pointing at doctors? dont they have family? their needs? they also have life to live? or u can just call all doctors in a ground and put bullets in their brains. and tell the people dont let their children or relatives to be a doctor or Govt. will kill them.....
Already Doctors earn too much via rishwat ( from medical raps for prescribing their medicines). They get everything from writing pads, wall clocks, cars and even foreign trips from medical raps as rishwat but their greed never ends
These doctors should be arrested and there license to practice medicine should be revoke Forever.
There are other ways to protest rather than creating problems for the patients who have nothing to do with your issues, YDA.
I would suggest government to stop funding Docotor's Education unless or otherwise they sign a treaty that they will never ever refuse to treat a patient.
Doctors must realize that their actions are directly connected to people's lives. There are several alternatives for protesting. However, abandoning patients is not one of them. I am sorry but this violates all the moral/humanitarian norms.
I do not believe that a doctor could be in such a situation that he cannot feed his children or does not have a reasonably good means of living. I am afraid that greed has taken over these people. I am abhorred to see this collective loss of morality and consciousness.