Last resort: PDA to hold strike at teaching hospitals of K-P
The announcement was made during a general body meeting at Lady Reading Hospital on Thursday. PDA also threatened to extend the strike call to all hospitals across the province if their grievances were not addressed within 72 hours.
The strike will begin at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Lady Reading Hospital, Saidu Teaching Hospital, Mardan Medical Complex and Ayub Teaching Hospital from 8am to 10am on Friday (today).
Earlier on Tuesday, the provincial government and doctors at hospitals in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa locked horns over a proposed legislation in the health sector. PDA Chairman Shah Sawar threatened to go on strike if the government failed to take the doctors’ needs into account.
According to the PDA, the government has proposed a ban on government doctors’ practice in private clinics in order to urge them to continue providing treatment at hospitals.
Moreover, the doctors’ association had proposed a series of changes to streamline the health sector but the government reportedly ignored their recommendations.
Speaking on the occasion, PDA representatives expressed their disapproval over the decision to bring Post Graduate Medical Institute under the control of the health secretary. They also demanded stipends for house officers and trainee medical officers.
Earlier this week, the K-P government decided to replace the Health Regulatory Authority with the Health Care Commission as it believes the former failed to serve its purpose.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 21st, 2014.
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