Locking horns: Health employees protesting dissolution of PGMI transferred

Agitating doctors say they are not with govt which misrepresented support

PESHAWAR:

In an escalation of an ongoing stand-off, some of the more prominent medical professionals protesting against the government were transferred after an accord was reached between a doctors association and the provincial health ministry.

Health Employees Coordination Council has announced a strike for Wednesday (today) in four hospitals of K-P: Hayatabad Medical Complex, Lady Reading Hospital, Khyber Teaching Hospital and Ayub Medical Complex in Abbottabad.

“Do whatever you [the government] can; terminate us all but we will not back down,” HECC K-P President Dr Musa Kaleem told The Express Tribune on Tuesday. He added they will not even demand a withdrawal of the notification issued to transfer medical professionals.

He said those transferred included Peshawar Nurses Association’s Farrukh Jalil, the Paramedical Association K-P president, Paramedical Association K-P General Secretary Riaz Burki, Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI) Teachers Association’s Dr Javed and others. Kaleem’s transfer could not be verified.

Kaleem added the government must address demands made by doctors, including withdrawing the notice dissolving PGMI. He said a health professional allowance should also be issued and overtime payments must be made to doctors.



He said they were supported by around 14 associations, including Malgari Doctoran, Islamic Doctors Forum, Peoples Doctors Forum and Young Doctors Association.

Not without muscle

The health employees have also blamed the government for trying to give an impression that all doctors and the government were on the same page over the dissolution of PGMI.

“Those who attended the meeting with the chief minister yesterday [on Monday] did not represent the doctors community,” said Young Doctors Association (YDA) provincial leader Dr Alamgir.

“Dr Zubair, who called himself a YDA member, was not part of the association as his membership was terminated in March 2015.” Alamgir added, “By saying Zubair was part of YDA, the government wanted to give a message that YDA was in agreement, which in fact is not the case.”

Alamgir said YDA has taken a firm stand against some government decisions, and enjoyed the support of a large number of health employees, including doctors, nurses, information technology staff and clerks. “YDA supports steps that will ensure patients were provided with as many facilities at health institutions as possible.” Alamgir added Insaf Doctors Forum and Provincial Doctors Association are a part of the government’s agenda and are the only two associations that do not represent agitating doctors.

Joint declaration

The K-P government held a meeting with members of various doctors associations on Monday regarding the implementation of health reforms. At the meeting, the doctors who were agitating against the government were called a “minority”.

On the same day doctors and the provincial government said the “minority” was misleading the health community.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd,  2016.