Pakistan

Extreme measures: Balochistan sacks 66 striking doctors

Health secretary says govt forced to take action; doctors say strike will not be called off.

Shezad Baloch May 31, 2011

BALOCHISTAN:

Balochistan government has sacked 66 protesting doctors, including five senior medical officers, after the 24-hour deadline given by the Balochistan chief minister to junior doctors expired on Monday afternoon.

The government has announced that medical officers through the Public Service Commission would be inducted on an emergency basis in order to end the miseries of hundreds of vulnerable patients suffering from the strike.

On the other hand, Young Doctors Association (YDA) vowed to continue their strike until their demands were met by the provincial government.

“The protesting doctors are united and are ready to resign collectively. Now we submit our collective resignation to the general secretary of the YDA and will not call off the strike,” said Dr Samad Panezai, president of the YDA.

“The government has issued the termination letters to 61 doctors of grade 17 and five senior medical officers of grade 18,” said Balochistan Health Secretary Asmathullah Kakar.

In the first phase doctors of Provincial Sandeman Hospital, one of the major hospitals of Quetta also known as the Civil Hospital, were sacked.

“A list of protesting doctors is being prepared from Bolan Medical Complex. The protesting doctors have left us with no option but to sack them,” he added. As many as 91 medical officers have been recommended by the Public Service Commission Balochistan recently. “We urge all the fresh medical officers to report to the secretary of health or the Balochistan government. Keeping in view the suffering of people, the government will induct fresh doctors and procedural formalities such as medical and police reporting will be taken care of after their induction,” said the secretary.

He said government was compelled to take strict action against the absentee doctors as poor people were suffering from the strike. Earlier, Balochistan Chief Minister had warned the doctors to end their strike in 24 hours or face suspension.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2011.

COMMENTS (5)

A J Khan | 12 years ago | Reply strong text Balochistan is in the hands of most incompetent political leadership and most corrupt bureaucracy. Very recently, the chief secretary got a snub from chief justice of Pakistan for his ineptitude. Present government instead of finding solution to the problem, sprinkled fuel on fire. They not only replaced a much level headed Secretary health with a irreverent one, but did not see his previous reputation of Rasputinism accused by many persons of various misdeeds, ranging from immoral life to boundless lust for government’s money. The demands of young doctors are line with the demands of doctors of other provinces which have been accepted gracefully.

khalid Kamal | 12 years ago | Reply What do yu expect of CM who says degree is degree be it fake or real. Unfortunate indeed. Only poor citizen will suffer. What a quality of governance is this??