YDA sets up hunger strike camp outside K-P assembly

Members say they did not want patients to suffer anymore

PESHAWAR: With the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) government not acquiescing to the demands of young doctors, the medical professionals  - who were holding a province-wide strike boycotting their duties at hospitals - have decided to set up a hunger strike camp outside the K-P assembly building.

Members of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) said that while their province-wide strike call was successful, they did not want patients to suffer anymore. Hence, they had now set up a camp outside the K-P assembly.

However, the YDA officials suggested the futility of their strike plan noting that the YDA patron-in-chief Dr Alamgir had gotten seriously ill during their last hunger strike with the government least bothered about those striking.

Despite that, the YDA officials said that their members from across the province are expected to participate in their strike. The YDA official further added that while the hunger strike was only being organised in the provincial capital, YDA members from different districts were present in Peshawar.

Meanwhile, Dr Alamgir said many YDA members had joined their camp outside the assembly building and were pursuing their demands. He added that they would continue taking steps which could ensure that the doctor’s concerns are addressed.

“This time we held a strike only at major hospitals across K-P. But next time, if the government fails to address our issues, we will lock up even the basic health units,” Dr Alamgir told The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2017.