Doctors go without pay in tribal belt
REPRESENTATIONAL IMAGE
Over 200 doctors working on various health projects in the merged tribal districts have not been paid their salaries for the past six months.
These doctors have been working under the Accelerated Implementation Program (AIP) in the merged districts.
The doctors’ organizations have threatened to stage protests across the province, terming it as ‘very sad’ situation, which reflects poorly on the provincial government.
The Pakistan Islamic Medical Association (PIMA) and Provincial Doctors Association (PDA) have jointly condemned the non-payment of salaries to doctors in the merged districts, terming the situation ‘regrettable and shameful’.
They expressed disappointment that despite being in power for ten consecutive years, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government has failed to address this critical issue.
“There should be an audit of these so-called health reforms. Doctors recruited for health reform projects in the merged districts of the former FATA are being forced to work without salaries. Despite the special grant of billions for the merged districts, there are no funds to pay the doctors,” said a statement.
The two associations lamented that the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) model has proven to be a failed experiment in the healthcare sector.
Contractors have turned health systems into businesses. This approach has not led to an integrated and sustainable health system for the public, and staff are not protected by proper employment laws.
Young doctors have been working without pay for six months, while government officials continue to enjoy luxuries and receive salary increases and benefits.
This situation is intolerable, and the government’s claims of efficiency on social media are far removed from the ground reality.
The government is actually running the province on a contract basis. The doctors, who have been working without wages for six months, have no choice but to protest, says PDA.
The PIMA and PDA have pledged their full support to the doctors affected by the non-payment of salaries. They vowed to stand by them in every struggle until their full salaries are released.
The associations urged the government to show seriousness and resolve the issue immediately. They warned that if the salaries are not released even after six months, they will be forced to launch a protest campaign.
They emphasized that they do not want to resort to protests, but the situation is leaving them with no choice. If the government fails to address the issue, they will be compelled to resist and take action in hospitals across the province.
It may be recalled that the permanent staff of the Maternal Newborn and Child Health (MNCH) programme under K-P Health Department has not been paid for the last six months.
Despite the approval of the provincial budget, salaries have not been released to the male and female employees performing duty in hospitals in Peshawar and other districts.
Officials in the Health Department told The Express Tribune that around 70 employees recruited under the MNCH programme in 2021 have not been paid salaries for the last six months.
Assembly approved the proposal of making these employees permanent, but due to the government failure to issue the notification to this end, their salaries have been pending.