Interim solution: ATH doctors call off strike till Sept 8

Say protest will resume on September 9 if govt fails to accept their demands

ABBOTTABAD: Doctors at Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) have decided to call off strike till September 8 as most of their demands have been accepted by the hospital administration.

While speaking to The Express Tribune on Sunday, Provincial Doctors Association President Dr Aminullah Afridi said although the ATH Board of Governors have accepted most of their demands, there are still a range of concerns that need to be looked into.

He added PDA office-bearers held a meeting with doctors on Saturday evening. During the moot, they decided to call off the strike till September 8 to facilitate the patients. However, he said they would resume the strike on September 9 if the provincial government failed to accept their demands.

Afridi said their charter of demands included taking action against officials who facilitated those responsible for causing losses to the provincial exchequer by constructing gynaecology and children departments.



They have also demanded action against those who made illegal appointments. He said the implementation of the medical teaching institutions act in letter and spirit was also among their demands which the K-P government and hospital administration have yet to accept.

On the call of PDA, all the senior and junior doctors went on strike from September 1 suspending health care services to both indoor and outdoor patients for four days. The patients were adversely affected by the strike as over 200 operations were delayed.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 5^th, 2016.