The doctors also threatened to shut down public hospitals across the province if the government continued to ignore their demands.
It is the eighth day of the hunger strike by Dr Usman Mako, Dr Khalil Pathan and Dr Nisar Ali Shah, who have been shifted to intensive care units, according to Dr Muhammad Ali Thalho, who is the president of Awami Doctors Ittehad.
Another doctor who joined the camp from Larkana, Dr Ajeeb Bhutto, is also in very bad health. “His blood sugar level fell to 40 milligrams,” said Thalho. “He can die within ten hours if he is not treated.”
Dr Ajeeb Bhutto, Dr K K Niazi and Dr Abdur Rasheed Lakheer also continue their hunger strike ‘till death.’
The doctors are protesting for time-scale promotions, as ordered by the Sindh High Court (SHC) to be implemented from July 2011, the absence of a service structure for doctors and for the regularisation of People’s Primary Health Initiative (PPHI) doctors.
“Government servants in other departments are better off than us,” said Dr Ghulam Mujtaba Memon. He gave the example of teachers who were recently promoted and asked if others can be compensated then why not health providers.
However negotiations are also taking place side by side. According to Dr Thalho, the government had promised them incentives from January 1, 2012. But the doctors refused this condition and countered that since the SHC’s decision was given on June 1, 2011, then the benefits should be applicable since then. “Otherwise it would mean that we too are in contempt of court,” he said.
Budget constraints seem to be hampering the government from giving in to the doctors’ demands. The Sindh government faces a shortfall of around Rs2.7 billion.
The protesters said that they will hold a press conference at the press club on next Thursday and doctors from all over the province will come to attend it. Then they will sit and decide if the strike should be extended to other districts as well.
Pakistan Medical Association (PMA) also held a press conference at the press club to put their weight behind the doctors. “The government’s attitude is callous,” said Dr Mirza Ali Azhar, the secretary general of PMA Centre.
The PMA also issued a statement which sympathised with the doctors. It said that doctors in rural and remote areas worked very hard and had the right to be supported by the government for a dignified and respectful life.
It also said that the association was extremely concerned about the health of the doctors who were on hunger strike and appealed to the chief minister to act immediately.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 14th, 2012.
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