Medical aid: Paramedics call off strike

Risk allowance for paramedics from grades 1 to 4 announced.


Our Correspondent June 10, 2012

LAHORE: The Punjab Paramedical Alliance (PPA) called off its strike on Sunday after successful negotiations with the government.

A representative delegation of the paramedical staff met Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif in his tent office at Minar-i-Pakistan and informed him of their departmental problems. Special Assistant on Health Khawaja Salman Rafique, MPA Hafiz Mian Nauman, health secretary, special health secretary and senior officers of the Health Department were also present on the occasion. The delegation expressed its complete confidence in the leadership of the chief minister and announced that it was calling off its strike. The delegation assured the chief minister that the paramedical staff would perform its responsibilities with commitment and dedication.

The chief minister gave approval to a monthly risk allowance of Rs1,500 to paramedics from grades 1 to 4. He also agreed to regularising the services of employees working on the seats of boards of management in teaching hospitals and autonomous medical institutions under the board of management. He directed the health secretary to devise a strategy within three weeks for improving the service structure of paramedics from grades 5 to 17.

Speaking with the delegation, the chief minister said the government was fully aware of the problems faced by paramedical staff and solid measures were being taken for their solution. He said the Punjab government had taken concrete measures for the welfare of labourers. He said the minimum wage had now been fixed at Rs9,000.

The delegation of Paramedics Alliance included Arshad Butt, Malik Yousaf, Najeebur Rehman, Ashraf Khokhar, Aneesur Rehman, Yousaf Billa, Malik Muneer Ahmed, Akbar Javaid and AD Kanwal.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11th, 2012.

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