Successful bargain? Doctors call off strike

Provincial govt to withdraw show-cause notices issued to at least 140 health workers

PESHAWAR: The doctors’ strike in teaching hospitals has been called off following a meeting between the provincial government and representatives from doctors associations. The meeting was held at the Chief Minister House on Thursday where doctors presented four demands to the government. These included taking back the show-cause notices against 140 health workers; redoing the service structure; adding a professional health allowance; and decreasing work hours for medical professionals.

Talking to The Express Tribune, an insider privy to the matter, said Chief Minister Pervez Khattak, Minister for Health Shahram Tarakai and Special Assistant to CM on Information Mushtaq Ahmad Ghani were present at the meeting. The insider said doctors presented their demands to the government, where the government has agreed to withdraw show-cause notices against health workers and decreasing duty hours.

He said the other two demands would be discussed with K-P finance department. “Only then, will they be accepted,” he said. However, the final terms on which the settlement was made were not revealed until the filing of this report.

Services, including out-patient departments, at Lady Reading Hospital and other tertiary health care facilities in the city were forcefully shut down by protesting health workers. These doctors and health staff were protesting against the Medical Teaching Institutions Reforms Act as well as the dissolution of the Post Graduate Medical Institution. Anticipating the strikes, the government implemented the Essential Services Act, 1958 at hospitals, essentially making it illegal to protest.

After the implementation of the act, LRH arrested at least 20 health employees and issued show-cause notices to many others for violating the order. According to a handout issued by Khyber Teaching Hospital on Thursday, all Health Employees Coordination Council of KTH gathered to protest on Thursday, the third day of their strike.

However, the handout claimed, the nursing staff, and the IT and maintenance staff of the hospital did not participate in the strike. Interim arrangements were made for the smooth functioning of the hospital.

All other routine activities such as those at the operation theatres and other diagnostic services of the institution were functioning as usual. Extra staff was provided to accident and emergency department to cope with the extra work load from the casualties care service.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th,  2016.