Protesting policy: Employees of Ayub Teaching Hospital go on strike

Say Health Reforms Act 2015 usurps their rights.

ABBOTABAD: A strike was held at Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) in Abbottabad on Tuesday to protest against the newly promulgated Health Reforms Act 2015. Outdoor patients department (OPD), laboratories, operation theatres and radiology department remained closed the entire day. This resulted in countless difficulties for patients. However, emergency services were available.

The protesters urged the provincial government to immediately withdraw its decision to create surplus pool for the health employees. Other demands include providing security to all cadres of staff and setting up a pension fund for all hospital employees.

Tall claims

Speaking to The Express Tribune, All Employees Coordination Council (AECC)Patron in Chief Habibur Rehman Shah and President Abid Jadoon said the provincial government failed to improve facilities and benefits offered at ATH despite tall claims to revamp the health sector in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.

Shah said the health department has repeatedly tried to curb the autonomy of ATH.

“They constantly interfere with decisions involving appointments and promotions and how to conduct our daily operations,” he said. “The AECC held a day-long strike at the hospital to protest against the Health Reforms Act, which minimally protects the rights of the employees.”

Administrative woes

Meanwhile, Peoples Doctors Forum (PDF) K-P Spokesperson Dr Daud Iqbal raised concerns over the health structure in the province. He said billions of rupees are fed to the sector every year.

“Yet, people are not provided free treatment and medical facilities by government hospitals,” the spokesperson added. “The funds allocated to provide free treatment to patients in the cardiology department at ATH have not been utilised. Machines are still out-of-order.”

Furthermore, he said members on the board of governors of the hospital have not been selected on merit. “If the government really wanted to make decisions on the basis of merit, they would have selected board members in a transparent manner,” he said. “Most of the board members do not reside in Abbottabad. This delays decision-making for the hospital.”

Time to change

Iqbal added hundreds of employees of public sector hospitals went to courts against their own department, including those who have challenged the Health Reforms Act 2015.

“The medical fraternity does not want the provincial government to repeat the mistakes that former governor Lt Gen (retd) Iftikhar Hussain Shah had made by imposing the institution-based private practice on doctors,” he said. “Public sector hospitals and medical colleges don’t have seasoned and competent doctors and teachers who have opted to join private institutions because of mismanagement at the hands of the government.”

According to Iqbal, PDF will join hands with other stakeholders in the province and make a joint strategy if the health department does not review its existing policies.

“These policies not only affect the doctors but they are also against public welfare,” he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2015.