Forced closure of out patient departments (OPDs) by doctors at provincial government health care facilities turned intense Tuesday as nurses associated with many of these centres joined the protesters for acceptance of their almost similar demands
:Forced closure of out patient departments (OPDs) by doctors at provincial government health care facilities turned intense Tuesday as nurses associated with many of these centres joined the protesters for acceptance of their almost similar demands.
The protesting doctors, mainly comprising internees doing their post graduation as well as those serving in BPS-17 pressing for their demands, as raise in their stipends/salaries besides allowances coupled with insurance coverage, went on strike on Monday.
Protesters talking to APP said that unwarranted delay in revision of service structures for paramedics and nurses had been a cause of serious concern for the professionals since long.
In certain Sindh government hospitals of Karachi, Hyderabad, Larkana, Sukkur and Benazirabad (Nawabshah) were also joined by paramedics and nurses, said Dr Wajahat Hussain Naqvi of Young Doctors Association.
Expressing his regret that doctors and other concerned staffers had to resort to strike causing inconvenience to the patients, Naqvi said they were left with no other option.
Mahrukh Zuleikha, staff nurse at Lyari General Hospital said security and revised service structure were the major concern along with salary package at par with healthcare providers in other parts of the country.
“We have not stopped serving patients reporting at emergencies nor those already admitted to different wards are left unattended,” she said.
Executive Director of Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Centre, Dr Seemi Jamali acknowledging that service was affected due to closure of OPDs, however, mentioned that a faction of young doctors resumed their responsibilities on Tuesday morning.
Meanwhile, provincial health department taking stock of the situation has approached the agitating doctors, paramedics/ nurses and assured to get their “genuine” grievances redressed.
“We are here to facilitate the young doctors and all those serving the ailing humanity, however, it would be difficult to budge before those resorting to unethical practices,” a health department official said.
