Young Doctors Association to boycott OPDs from May 2

Says proposed system will destroy medical care

RAWALPINDI: Medical and paramedical staff of government-run hospitals in Punjab have decided to boycott the outpatient departments (OPDs) of government hospitals across the province from May 2 to protest against the Medical Teaching Institution (MTI) Act which the provincial government plans to introduce.

The medics, under the banner of the Young Doctors Association (YDA), claim that the proposed MTI system has been termed a black law by medics in the neighbouring Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) as well.

The decision was announced during a convention arranged by the YDA at the new teaching block of the Holy Family Hospital.

Doctors continue boycott of OPDs

YDA President Dr Qasim Awan, Chairman Dr Shoaib Tarar and others, said that the convention and the grand health alliance of Punjab will change the course of medical care history.

They added that doctors have gathered to protect the rights of patients. They added that the imposition of the new MTI regime will spell the end of employment opportunities in government hospitals.

They stated that they have been protesting against the law for the past six months. As part of the protest, they stated that as many as 15 doctors have resigned against the proposed law while some others were even planning to commit suicide.

The speakers stated that senior officials including the dean and vice-chancellors will be first to be affected by the law.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 1^st, 2019.