Paramedics continue token strike in AJK

MIRPUR:

Paramedics working in state-run hospitals continued their two-hour strike for the second consecutive day across AJK on Wednesday.

“The demands of the paramedical staff have been forwarded to the AJK government and it is now up to them to accept the demands,” said Dr Qurban Mir, Director General Health Services AJK, while talking to The Express Tribune. He said it was the responsibility of medical superintendents to make alternative arrangements for patients, according to the rules.

Paramedics have declared they will go on strike from 10am daily.

The protesting staff boycotted their duties and staged a sit-in at strike camps raising slogans and displaying banners in support of their demands.

The paramedics’ association warned the AJK government that they would boycott their duties if health allowances for all health department employees were not approved by the April 10 deadline.

“The demands include implementation of service structure 2009 as well as basic pay structure for paramedics, grant of risk allowance and the implementation of policy regarding promotion,”  said Raja Shahzad, district president of AJK Paramedical Staff Association while talking to The Express Tribune.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 29^th, 2012.