Service structure: Paramedics continue protest

LAHORE: Members of the Punjab Paramedical Alliance continued their protest for a 15th straight day on Tuesday, holding a demonstration outside Jinnah Hospital for changes to the service structure and allowances for paramedics in grades 1-4. The protesters also went on a three-hour strike at the outpatient department of the hospital. After the protest, Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Health Khawaja Salman Rafiq met with PPA Chairman Malik Munir Ahmed and other office bearers of the alliance. The PPA leaders said after the meeting that there had been no breakthrough and the strike would continue until their demands were met. They said the Punjab government must implement a notification for changes to the service structure and for a professional healthcare allowance for paramedics. They said that other provinces had announced a new service structure for paramedics. They said that their next protest would be at the Punjab Institute of Cardiology on Wednesday.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 23^rd, 2012.