Day 28 of doctors’ strike: Healthcare services remain disrupted

Secretary health urges doctors to quickly resume duties.

QUETTA:

Junior doctors’ ongoing strike entered 28th day on Friday as healthcare services remained disrupted in all four major state-run hospitals in Quetta.

The Balochistan health department constituted a committee under Additional Chief Secretary Ali Zaheer Hazara to review the demands of junior doctors and propose recommendations.

“The government is sincere, thus, it is providing more time to doctors to call off their strike. If they refuse to call it off, action will be taken against them,” said Secretary Health Asmathullah Kakar said during a press conference here on Friday.

Kakar said: “It will obliviously take a few more days to pursue the doctors to call off their illegal strike. We have many options if doctors continue their strike.”

The secretary health also said that no death had been reported because of the strike. “The prime minister had authorised me to take action over the death of three patients. The report revealed that patients were attended by doctors. I could have taken action against junior doctors, but I am giving them (more) time,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 28^th, 2011.