Punjab

Doctors across Punjab go on strike

The strike was called by the Young Doctors Association to demand a pay raise.

Express March 01, 2011

LAHORE: Doctors in all major cities of Punjab are on a strike, while patients are suffering in hospitals.

The strike was called by the Young Doctors Association to demand a pay raise.

Outdoor wards at Ganga Ram, Services and Children hospitals, as well as other major civil hospitals, are closed.

Similar protests are being held in various other cities including Multan, Bahawalpur, DG Khan, Khanewal, Faisalabad, Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

Updated from print edition (below)

‘Raise doctors’ salaries to stop brain drain’

The government should announce a special salary package for doctors to stop the brain drain in the country, said Pakistan Medical Association members at a press conference on Monday.

The PMA announced it was launching a protest drive in support of the demand for the special salary package. The PMA would hold a provincial convention on March 28, following which it would go on strike.

The press conference was attended by Dr Ashraf Nizami, Dr Tanveer Anwar, Dr Izhar Chaudhry, Dr Akhtar Rashid Malik, Dr Ehsanur Rehman, Dr Kamran Saeed, Dr Salman Kazmi and Dr Khalid Chaudhry.

They said the salary package should be announced for all categories including house officers, post graduates, medical officers, senior registrars, specialists and teaching, administrative and general cadres. They said a raise for only one or a few categories would not be acceptable. They said pamphlets and posters had already been distributed across the country in the first phase of the protest drive.

They said they were taking other doctor organisations such as the Young Doctors Association, Pakistan Dental Association (PDA), and Medical Teachers Association (MTA) into confidence with regards to the protest movement. They said a group of doctors was planning to go on strike in support of the salary package for only one category of doctors. The group, they said, had not consulted the PMA or any other association on the matter. The PMA demanded that all vacant seats between grade 17 and grade 20, especially those of 4,000 medical officers, be filled as a priority.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 1^st, 2011.

COMMENTS (9)

Dr Nathaoo Phatoo | 13 years ago | Reply I WAS a Pakistani. I went to elite educational institutions on merit scholarships and when I graduated I found I was just NOTHING. I was less than an ordinary poor man on the streets of Pakistan. I WASTED my youth working tirelessly in a state of poverty for a society that wouldn't recognize my services.I didn't have enough money to pay the fees for exams. No strings to pull to get a training post in a hospital.My only regret today is that why I didn't leave that country earlier than I did. I made a big decision,secured a job abroad and left the country. Before,I started actual work I had a car and significant amount in my account as a loan to establish myself. I was honoured with a big reception and local Mayor welcomed me.I was interviwed by the local papers.All of a sudden I felt like I was valued here.I enjoyed recpect. The health system was highly supportive. All the time I am reminded by these people that need me and value me. I feel my hard work has paid back. Back home,regrettably a doctor is a highly educated POOR guy. Every TOM,DICK and HARRY in civil bureacracy and health care system has the right to SLIGHT you..... What the hell is that????? Doctors fight for your right.You government should give you enough to feed yourself,to pay your exam fees and to feed your families.Your society should recognize your importance and ensure your respect. Only an ethical society and government should expect ethics from you. One sided affairs never works. Soldier on...... All the best........

dr shafiq | 13 years ago | Reply reply to ahsen i can not agree more to dr shahbano ameer, very well said.And to mr Ahsen sb , HUN ARAM HAY :) any way , people should be educated as they do not have any idea , they are quick in jumping to conclusions.God bless Pakistan , Long live YDA and to hell with beaurocrats and politicians Mr Ahsen .:)

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Dr Zeeshan Ahmad Chattha | 13 years ago | Reply Well explained Shahbanoo . . . No one understands a doctor's point of view. Media just shows the public that the hospitals are closed, they don' show that emergencies are still open and more than 500 patients are treated in each hospital, even though doctors are on strike. Which else department serves their clients/visitors, when the workers are on strike? Only the doctors do. Then, people say, u guys are doctors u are not supposed to come out on streets. BUT why do they not think about the circumstances that have forced the doctors to come out on streets, to go on strikes. When we were not doing this, there were no jobs for us. Punjab Public Services Commission remained closed for doctors for over 15 years. There was no pay raise for doctors for over a decade, though the doctors also live in the same society like everyone else, where inflation has no bounds. and still doctors are the bad guys . . . its hilarious.

Dr Fahad | 13 years ago | Reply The brightest, and the most hard working students aim to become doctors, and after so much hardwork, long hours, stress and wasting a good part of our youth, what return do we get? A motor mechanic earns more in Pakistan than a doctor. And the stress in this job is much higher than any other profession What's this nonsense? Why is the health budget in Pakistan being sucked into servicing debt incurred by corruption of the rulers? These days it is foolish for men to opt for the medical professional. The corrupt government of Pakistan has health as its lowest priority. Why should any bright mind stay in Pakistan. It is better for us to leave for developed countries where expenditure on health budget is much reasonable. Even countries like Phillipines, and Sri Lanka now are paying more. But Pakistan, like in any other field is still in lagging behind in development and progress in the health sector.

Mirza | 13 years ago | Reply @Billoo Bhaya - very well said, we must get rid of this corrupt government. This government has already wasted billions of rupees in fake programs such as Sasti Roti Scheme. When this tookover, the province was Rs 48 billion plus and now due to bad governance the province is in Rs. 200 billion debt. The PMLN ministers, MPAs and MNAs are looting considering this as their last chance. We must get rid off from these looters.

Shahbano Amer | 13 years ago | Reply Reply to Ahsan, First try to understand what is going on before shamelessly jumping in and talking. Doctors when they go on strike they just close down OPD or outpatient clinics. All emergency wards remain open 24 hours aday, 7 days a week. It is only the elective procedures which are stopped and not emergencies one. Your derogatory comment is very abusive. A house officer in Pakistan earns some where between 10 thousand to 20 thousand rupees per month. Not much is left of that money to be taken to grave. And also because our political and cultural backwardness doctors have no choice but to go on strike. The salary of a house officer which is the backbone of hospitals in this country used to be 2 thousand rupees 15 years ago and all the increase you have happened because of strikes as the salaries of house officers and TMO's are not raised as part of national budget. It is such a shame that almost all doctors of this land dream of going abroad since they can not even provide for their own let alone feeding a family. Most doctors procrastinate marriage till very late in life. Hospitals lack meds and equipments and doctors are depressed and financially under pressure. The only way to live a good life as a doctor in this country is to have a private practice. Trying to live off the salary of hospitals specially government ones is impossible. A country whose national health budget is just less than 0.3% of the total and its federal government allocates annually Rs 20 lacs for medical research in a nation with population of 190 million, should not expect to get Swiss quality health care. So next time you go to vote in election, do remember the health care issues. When you vote in despots who come to hospital and kidnap and beat up doctors and steal meds and medicines then doctors can not do much. Vote in a government which prioritizes education, health care and social support programs rather than governments whose priorities are somewhere else. So before you say anything against doctors who work day and night treating people with crushed skulls to heart attacks, receiving lesser pay and facilities than a chowkidar of a bank, please be more considerate. It is noble to work for free your entire life living off by eating three dates per day and wearing a dhoti for three years. But to expect the whole doctor community of a hundred thousand to live like that while coming to hospital and working for free, having gone celibate is not realistic. After all, are you living like that yourself?

Ahsan | 13 years ago | Reply It is your right to protest but come on think of the people in suffering and those dying bcz of your absence and negligence of your duty while you are on strike...what will you do after taking that much salary(money) as YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU WHEN YOU GO...please do protest as this is your right but do not look away from your responsibilities as you do so...you are a life saver after all!

shafiq chughtai | 13 years ago | Reply be the best in schools , get in a medical college and study for five yrs , then get a house job ! on mere 18 k or without a pay , afterwards u are a doctor , simple mbbs ! and u ar already 25!why dont u run abroad man ! U SHOULD NOT HAVE DONE MBBS , FOR IN PAKISTAN THERE IS NO WORTH OF URZ ! NO I AM A FOOL AND I WANT TO SERVE HERE my country my people my brothers and sisters ! study hard again start fcps , pay cpsp more than u earn , work 36 hrs twice a week with one holiday , if u r lucky , any one can come and say THE POOR CHILD DIED BECAUSE OF DR NEGLIGENCE ! ,any one can come and beat u and u r getting almost nothing in return ! to hell with all those wise people , government and health ministry for staying deaf and dumb for last 60 yrs !this is what they gave us ! no security no working hours no salary ! and please to all parents do not make ur kids doctors ...... this time we will go to streets ! i want all of the people to know the root of the problem , which if addressed might bring a change for good ! we will bring change this time May Allah Bless Pakistan , Bless YDA to hell with politicians and beaureacrats!

Billoo Bhaya | 13 years ago | Reply Well done Doctors. We need to remove this corrupt Government. What better way than you coming on to the streets. We will all join you. These looters are dispossessing us, our birth right to succeed through our efforts and hard work.They are always appointing people who have no merit but are sucking them for personal advantage. Fight for your rights my brothers and sisters. You have a noble cause.

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