Doctors’ protest for allowance enters sixth day
People wait outside the Bhitai Hospital OPD which is closed due to a strike by doctors and paramedical staff demanding a professional allowance. photo: Online
The Joint Action Committee, of doctors, nurses, and medical staff boycotted the OPDs in government hospitals across Sindh, including Karachi, Hyderabad, Dadu, Nawabshah, and Tando Allah Yar for two hours.
Reportedly, doctors at Karachi's Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC), Civil Hospital, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital, Lyari General Hospital, Sindh Government Hospital, New Karachi, and other hospitals continued to protest against the non-provision of healthcare allowance, for the sixth consecutive day.
The boycott of OPDs created problems for the patients. The protesters lamented that the Sindh Health Department has deprived doctors of their basic rights. The protestors demand an immediate provision of health professional allowance for doctors.
A large number of patients had to wait for long to receive treatment in the OPDs of various government hospitals across the city.
The patients expressed frustration with the casual attitude of the Health Department and doctors, causing serious inconveniences to the patients.
In this regard, Sindh Minister for Health Dr Azra Pechuho stated that the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer prevalent, and therefore, health risk allowance cannot be provided. Consequently, the demand for this allowance is deemed unfair.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 4th, 2023.