K-P govt warns doctors of action

GHA continues to boycott OPDs, wards; doctors attend emergency cases only

PESHAWAR: In response to the call of the Grand Health Alliance (GHA)  doctors at most of the public health, facilities observed complete strike boycotting duties except in the emergency and trauma centres of government hospitals across the province on Monday.

Meanwhile, the provincial government has decided to take action against those doctors who are coaxing and forcing other doctors and other groups to stage protests in the premises of the hospitals and departmental and criminal proceeding could be initiated against the culprits.

As per announced protest call from the Grand Health Alliance, all medical services remained suspended as they were expressing solidarity with the doctors and protesting over the provincial government use of force against the GHA in the premises of the hospital and imposition of Section-144 in Lady Reading Hospital.

The nursing department, laboratories, technical and other departments were also affected and only emergency services were operational during the day in the three big health facilities of the provincial capital.

To curb the protests in the three facilities, 700 police were deployed at various points of the hospitals. The district administrations on directives of the provincial government imposed Section-144 in the hospitals making all types of assembly of five or more people illegal.

The spokesperson of the Lady Reading Hospital told The Express Tribune that all sections remained operational and no hurdles have been witnessed in the provision of health services to the people.

Relatives of the patients, talking to The Express Tribune, expressed their resentment and ire over the non-availability of medical services at the hospital.

Speaking to this paper via telephone they complained as to how their patients were suffering because doctors were not available in any of the departments and medical facilities not being provided for the past few days.

They urged the provincial government to take actions against doctors who are creating hardships for the poor people of the province.

While all hospitals staffers, doctors also observed protest in solidarity with the doctors calls to protest against the use of force against peaceful protest in the province and all services except emergencies remained closed in all hospitals in the province.

Information minister press conference

KP Minister for Information Shaukat Ali Yousafzai has said that the government has passed the district health authority and the Regional Health Authority Act after accommodating the recommendation of doctors. The doctors have been made more empowered through the Board of Governors and political interference has been eliminated.  The government has decided to implement the Act for improvement of the health system and providing better services to the people.  Do doctors realize that who is responsible for this pathetic situation where people are dying due to their strike? The government will not be blackmail from anyone. The legislation is the job of the government, not of doctors.  He expressed these views while holding a press conference in Peshawar regarding the protest of doctors.  The provincial minister said doctors receive more benefits and salaries than doctors serving in the sister provinces and the government has timely fulfilled all legitimate demands of doctors. DHA and RHA Act will not reduce the doctors’ salaries, service, and benefits.

He said that the protesting doctors do not close their private clinics for even a day but they close the government hospital in two minutes to hurt patients. He warned that if the protesting doctors do not end their protest, the government has many options to exercise.  The government has no intention of privatization of hospitals.  Doctors have gone on unprecedented protests. Shaukat Yusufzai said that these doctors go abroad and work there and praise this system but when the government introduces a successful health system here, doctors do not accept it. If the doctors are working to serve the public then why they closed the hospitals? He said that the security personnel and teachers are busy to eradicate polio but doctors are busy in protests.  Responding to a question, the provincial minister said that the Maulana-led Islamabad march is only for the ‘chair’ and getting the house but he will never get that again.  

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