As the doctors’ struggle continues, the Ministry of Health has proposed addressing their complaints by offering incentive.
National Assembly Standing Committee on Health prohibited Pakistan Medical and Dental Council for taking any action against doctors on Thursday, who were protesting for pay raise, service structure and regularisation of contract doctors.
The parliamentary panel held its meeting under the chairmanship of Dr Nadeem Ehsan and rejected the proposal of the ministry to start evening shifts in the medical colleges.
Federal Secretary Health, Nargis Sethi informed the committee that the ministry was working on a summary to start evening shifts in medical colleges. She added, that by next week, a summary of a comprehensive package for young doctors will be moved to the Prime Minister for approval and the doctors will be offered handsome salary packages.
The body observed that the real block was to fulfill the “genuine” demands of the doctors, who were reluctant to commute to remote areas due to nominal incentives being offered to them by the government.
Registrar PMDC, Dr Nadeem Akbar informed the committee had effectively banned the establishment of new medical colleges since April 1. However, 16 applications, received on March 31 would be entertained.
Out of these, five were for public medical colleges whereas the remaining were for private. Majority of them were from Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, April 8th, 2011.
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