Doctors to boycott OPDs for three days across Sindh

SHC issued orders for health department in 2011 but they were not complied with: PMA general secretary

KARACHI: The Sindh Doctors' Joint Action Committee (JAC) has announced to boycott Out-Patient Departments (OPDs) in hospitals across Sindh for three days starting today (Monday) to protest inefficenices and corrupt practices in the Sindh government and the health department.

This was announced by representatives of the JAC in a press conference at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday.  They further said that they would take serious steps and encircle the Chief Minister House if their demands were not fulfilled.

Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) General Secretary Dr Pir Manzoor Ali said that the health department was under the possession of a corrupt mafia which only wants to make money.

He added that the Sindh government was biased against them and billions of rupees of the budget given to the health department were being embezzled.

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Dr Ali said that the protests had been organised to raise a voice against the injustices by the Sindh health department. "We were not promoted even after serving on the same grade for 18 to 20 years," he said.
"We conducted protests and went to the court to resolve problems faced by doctors of Sindh, but the problems were not resolved," he said adding that the Sindh High Court issued orders to the health department in 2011 to resolve the issues, but these orders were also not complied with.
He said that the Sindh government could not inform the Supreme Court (SC) about their progress at Jinnah hospital even after eight years.

"We are happy that Jinnah hospital has been handed over to the federal government again, however, this issue had to be resolved in six months, but instead took nine years due to which the doctors and employees of Jinnah hospital faced many problems," he said.

Health facilities are not available anywhere except Jinnah and Civil hospital, he added. He presented the demands of the JAC which included that the allowances and salaries be at par with other provinces and time frame be set for development works so that they could be completed within the stipulated time.

The JAC further demanded that the SC's orders for the pro-forma promotion for retired doctors be complied with, corruption be eliminated from the health department and service structure be designed.

He said that they would not bear the injustices anymore.
PMA Sindh Joint Secretary Dr Usman Mako said that the patients visiting the hospitals were not provided anything. "They don't even get 10% of their rights. The service structure is there, but it's never followed," he added.

Head of Sindh Young Doctors Associations , Dr Yaseen Imrani, Chairperson Dr Umar Sultan and General Secretary Mehboob Ali among others attended the conference.