Doctors’ woes: Govt must make good its promises, says YDA

LAHORE:

Young Doctors’ Association held 11 protest demonstrations against the Health Department across the province on Tuesday.

In Lahore, YDA members from Shaikh Zayed Hospital and Jinnah Hospital blocked a side of the Canal Road. YDA members from Mayo Hospital, the Punjab Dental Hospital and Ganga Ram Hospital partially blocked The Mall at Charing Cross. YDA members from Children’s Hospital and the Lahore General Hospital blocked a portion of the Ferozepur Road on both sides. YDA members from the Punjab Institute of Cardiology and the Services Hospital blocked Jail Road. Protests were also held in Rawalpindi, Multan, Bahawalpur, Rahim Yar Khan, DG Khan, Sargodha and Gujrat. The protesters held up placards and shouted slogans.

The YDA announced a province-wide protest at a press briefing at Allama Iqbal Medical College on March 23. The decision to block roads was taken during the YDA’s general council meeting held at the Allied Hospital Faisalabad on March 18.

YDA has held dozens of demonstrations to press the government to implement earlier decisions on service structure. YDA Punjab media sectary Khurram Shehzad said a committee formed by the government to address promotions had held a long meeting with them on Monday which ended without result. He said the government had assured them of addressing the paid post-graduate training to an extent. He said they would continue their protest till their demands were met. He said the government had agreed to a 52-point agreement on November 7, 2012. “It needs to honour that commitment,” he said. “It’s been three years already.”  The YDA will stage demonstrations on Thursday next week.

Published in The Express Tribune, April 1^st, 2015.