Tug of war: Govt refuses to budge as junior doctors continue OPDs strike

Former office-bearer of YDA says bureaucracy has taken over leadership of association

LAHORE: The junior doctors partially closed outpatient departments of different hospitals in the provincial metropolis on Tuesday. Many whistleblowers within the Young Doctors Association believe the leadership should change as they were not working on the demands of young doctors, but were fulfilling their vested interests.

A former office-bearer of YDA told The Express Tribune most of the senior officials of YDA, including those from the postgraduate residency programme, were involved in corrupt practices. The former office-bearer had played an active role during the formation of the association in 2008 and movement for salary package for young doctors in 2011.

He added that in the beginning, YDA was led by house officers or first or second year postgraduate trainees, but now senior registrars and doctors hold offices in the association.

“YDA had emerged out of the indifference of senior doctors to the plight of young doctors,” he said. “Now, YDA is again going far from the demands of young doctors.”

For change of hands

He added the bureaucracy has emerged as the leadership and it was pursuing its vested interests while enjoying close relations with senior health officials and the health secretariat, leaving most of the young doctors to suffer.

“A radical transformation of the leadership is needed which should sweep away the bureaucrats in the leadership and replace them with young doctors,” he suggested. Previously, he said, YDA had also raised the issue of poor infrastructure of government hospitals.

However, when contacted, YDA President Dr Maroof rejected the claims of YDA office-bearers being involved in corrupt practices or the association being run by bureaucratic leaders.

“We are fighting a war against the Central Induction Policy (CIP),” he said. “People must support us.”

Standing by the stance

The health department issued a press release, stating the government must not bow down against those who were maligning the medical profession by hindering work at hospitals.

Another press release quoted Punjab Minister for Specialised Healthcare and Medical Education Khwaja Salman Rafique as saying that the CIP for postgraduate trainees has been introduced for improvement of the medical sector and preparation of high standard doctors so that culture of nepotism could be eliminated and talented doctors get an opportunity to specialize on merit.

He also directed all principals and medical superintendents to take action through disciplinary committee of colleges against those involved in lawlessness, creating hurdles in the treatment of patients, insulting or threatening senior doctors and teachers and steps be taken against them as per the law.

He added legal action will be taken against those disgracing the sanctity of the medical profession, trying to insult the teachers and creating hurdles in the treatment of patients. The minister maintained the CIP or Punjab Residency Programme has already been implemented under senior professors of different teaching hospitals and could not be reverted at any cost.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 14^th, 2016.