Lack of facilities : Nurses, technicians rise up against DHQ hospital

Separately, paramedics threaten to boycott polio drive if not regularised.

HANGU/BANNU: In protest against the lack of security and facilities at their hostel and workplace, nurses and technicians of District Hospital Hangu went on strike on Monday.

“We are living in a hostel provided by the hospital; there are no security arrangements whatsoever,” said a nurse. “We risk our lives in a volatile area like Hangu.”

She added they were not even provided with guards at the hospital, which is why it gets difficult when unpleasant situations arise, such as patients’ attendants misbehaving. “Not only is security an issue, but cleanliness and drainage system in hospital is also poor; we do not even have enough water to keep the washrooms clean.”



Another nurse said they were not paid “hard area allowances”.  Above all, Rs700 was deducted from their salaries as their room fee. “In other hospitals’ hostels the room fee is only Rs300,” she added. The nurse said the hospital administration was also making their duty roster against their consent.

The protesters asked the government to regularise nurses and technicians who were hired on ad hoc basis. They said the strike will continue till their demands are met. Protesters announced a boycott of emergency wards as well.

Polio workers’ woes

In Bannu, members of the Paramedics Association in North Waziristan threatened to boycott polio drives if their demands are not fulfilled by November 25.

“We work in rough areas like North Waziristan and never hesitate in fulfilling our duties but we have no rights,” said a representative of the association at an emergency meeting in Bannu on Monday. Paramedics said contracts of ad hoc employees had not been regularised. In response, they called for a sit-in and boycott of duties in protest.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 17^th, 2015.