Paramedics issue four-day ultimatum

KARACHI: Paramedical staff from public hospitals across Sindh staged a sit-in outside Karachi Press Club for the second consecutive day on Thursday. The paramedics have issued an ultimatum of four days to the provincial government for the approval of their demands.

The paramedical staff has put forward five demands, including the immediate restoration of the service structure of the paramedical staff, issuance of time scale, immediate cancellation of the recovery letter, immediate grant of 30 per cent health professional allowance to the paramedical staff and granting of permanent status to the vaccinators.

The demonstrators, who carried placards and shouted slogans, asked for immediate approval of their demands, threatening to continue their protest otherwise. "We will adopt any strategy for our due rights if the demands are not approved," said one.

A protestor said that Sindh Health Secretary Zahid Saeed had contacted them on the first day of the protest and called them for negotiation, but they did not meet him. "We do not want any negotiation. The Sindh health department should issue the notification," he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 17^th, 2020.