Young Doctors Association announces protests from 9th May

LAHORE, May 4: The Young Doctors Association, Punjab has announced protests from May 9 against delay on part of the provincial government in taking steps for a service structure for all cadres of doctors.

Talking to the media at Services Hospital on Friday, YDA Punjab president Dr Hamid Butt said young doctors working in all public hospitals of the province would start protests from May 9. YDA spokesman Dr Nasir Abbas, Dr Javed Malik and Dr
Mudasar Razaq were also present.

“We have no option, but to start protests because the Punjab government has yet to notify a committee to formulate recommendations for a service structure, despite making a promise on April 9,” said Dr Nasir.

He said government officials, including law minister Rana Sanaullah, special assistant to chief minister on health Khawaja Salman Rafique and health secretary Arif Nadeem, publicly announced on April 9 that a committee would be notified within three or four days that would give recommendations for service structure for all cadres of doctors.

Dr Nasir said young doctors of public hospitals of the Punjab capital would stage a sit-in on Jail Road in front of Services Hospital from 11am to 2pm from May 9 to protest the ‘bureaucratic attitude’ of government officials.

Similarly, doctors belonging to other teaching hospitals of the province would stage sit-ins outside their institutions at the same time and the same day.

If the committee was not notified, YDA Punjab would announce its next course of action in the evening the same day.

“Strike would be the last option,” he said and added that if young doctors were forced to observe strike it would continue till announcement of a service structure.

(Dawn)