Doctors continue protest for salaries

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) closed the outpatient department (OPD) of Allied Hospitals.

ISLAMABAD:

The Young Doctors Association (YDA) on Monday closed the outpatient department (OPD) of Allied Hospitals and began providing these services in outdoor tents to protest against the government’s failure to raise salaries.

The camps were set up on the roadside outside a number of hospitals, including Holy Family Hospital, Benazir Bhutto Hospital and District Headquarter Hospital.

Talking to The Express Tribune, YDA Senior Vice-President Dr Aqeel Natt said, “The ill-response of the government towards our demands have forced us to come on the road.”

The doctors said they had been protesting since March 1 without getting a response from the government, apart from invitations for meetings.

“We will continue till we get a notification of a pay raise,” he said.

Dr Natt said a meeting between the general council of YDA and the seven member committee constituted by the Punjab government will take place on the issue in Lahore on Tuesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 8^th, 2011.