Doctors’ strike fever infects K-P
Demands include raise in pay, special packages, allowances and new hostels.
PESHAWAR:
Taking a cue from the success of the young doctors in Punjab, the Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa observed a complete strike here on Monday to push for their demands.
Doctors observed strike in Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) and Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) Abbottabad, while patients at both the hospitals faced great inconvenience.
Doctors remained away from the Out Patient Department (OPD) and other wards of both the hospitals except the emergency department, The Express Tribune learnt.
The two hospitals cater to the medical needs of over 2,500 patients a day.
The strike was announced after a deadline given by the PDA on May 10 for their demands ended.
“This is the first phase of the strike and if the government fails to fulfil our demands by May 18, the next day doctors will go on strike at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC),” PDA general-secretary Dr Imran said.
The protesting doctors are demanding increase in salaries and a special package in the forthcoming provincial budget.
The government, the enraged doctors said, had agreed to raise salaries, frame service structure for the health professionals, build new hostels and raise non-practicing allowance for doctors.
“The government promised last year that it would increase our salaries, but now it has backed out from what they said”, Imran added.
Unfortunately, in such sitautions, it is the patients that suffers the most.
Hundreds of patients faced problems in the OPD and wards of the two hospitals.
“My brother was admitted to the orthopaedic ward of KTH on May 6 and his operation was scheduled today (Monday), but the doctors are on strike. What should we do now?” asked Riaz Khan, a resident of Mardan.
He added that he belonged to a poor family and could not take his brother to a private hospital.
“I don’t have any other way out but to wait for the government and when they meet the doctors’ demands,” Riaz lamented.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2011.
Taking a cue from the success of the young doctors in Punjab, the Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa observed a complete strike here on Monday to push for their demands.
Doctors observed strike in Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH) and Ayub Teaching Hospital (ATH) Abbottabad, while patients at both the hospitals faced great inconvenience.
Doctors remained away from the Out Patient Department (OPD) and other wards of both the hospitals except the emergency department, The Express Tribune learnt.
The two hospitals cater to the medical needs of over 2,500 patients a day.
The strike was announced after a deadline given by the PDA on May 10 for their demands ended.
“This is the first phase of the strike and if the government fails to fulfil our demands by May 18, the next day doctors will go on strike at Lady Reading Hospital (LRH) and Hayatabad Medical Complex (HMC),” PDA general-secretary Dr Imran said.
The protesting doctors are demanding increase in salaries and a special package in the forthcoming provincial budget.
The government, the enraged doctors said, had agreed to raise salaries, frame service structure for the health professionals, build new hostels and raise non-practicing allowance for doctors.
“The government promised last year that it would increase our salaries, but now it has backed out from what they said”, Imran added.
Unfortunately, in such sitautions, it is the patients that suffers the most.
Hundreds of patients faced problems in the OPD and wards of the two hospitals.
“My brother was admitted to the orthopaedic ward of KTH on May 6 and his operation was scheduled today (Monday), but the doctors are on strike. What should we do now?” asked Riaz Khan, a resident of Mardan.
He added that he belonged to a poor family and could not take his brother to a private hospital.
“I don’t have any other way out but to wait for the government and when they meet the doctors’ demands,” Riaz lamented.
Published in The Express Tribune, May 17th, 2011.