Physiotherapists protest being categorised with paramedics

PPAP says it will go on a countrywide strike in the near future

LAHORE: The Pakistan Physiotherapy Association Pakistan (PPAP) has strongly condemned the health department’s decision to put physiotherapists in the category of paramedical staff. They said physiotherapy is an exclusive study and it cannot be considered to technical staff.

Scores of PPAP members, carrying placards and banners, held a protest outside the University of Health Science (UHS) on Thursday, demanding withdrawal of the decision taken by the UHS.

PPAP General Secretary Dr Amir Saeed, while talking to the media said, “After our hectic efforts of five years, the federal government is considering to make a separate council for physiotherapists, but they are attempting to ruin our struggle,” he said.



He added that the black sheep in the provincial health department were trying to put physiotherapists in the category of paramedical staff, which is totally unacceptable.

PPAP President Dr Shazia Rafiq said that the association has its own service structure and that could not be compared with technicians. She said that if the government did not reconsider the issue and resolve the grievances of the PPAP, they would go on a countrywide strike in the near future. “We will also register a case against the health department and UHS against this black law,” she added.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 16^th, 2017.