MUHAMMAD SALEEM

LAHORE: Deadlock between the young doctors and the provincial health authorities persisted as strike of the Young Doctors Association (YDA) entered its eighth day on Tuesday.

On Sunday, the YDA had issued a 72-hour ultimatum for the government. They threatened to even stop attending patients in emergency wards if the demands were not met. The YDA is demanding removal of Provincial Health Secretary Najam Ahmad Shah and revoking the centralized induction policy introduced by him.

Due to strike of the YDA, patients are facing hardships as OPDs in different hospitals remained non-functional. In Lahore, senior doctors were seen performing duties in hospitals.

The YDA activists on Tuesday approached political leaders including PML-Q leader Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Liaqat Baloch after their negotiations with the government failed.

On the other hand, the Punjab health department has recruited 42 new medical officers and 116 internees.

According to the spokesperson of health department, 71 protesting doctors were suspended due to their participation in Young Doctors Association strike.

PML-Q senior leader Chaudhry Parvez Elahi, in a meeting with YDA delegation, expressed solidarity with the doctors in their genuine demands and called for putting an end to the suppression and oppression of the doctors.

The YDA delegation comprised of its senior vice president Dr Atif Chaudhry, Dr Shoaib Niazi, joint secretary Dr Anjum Baloch, senior vice president Hassan Awan, general secretary Dr Naqqash, Dr Zeeshan Lashari and Dr Durrab apprised the PML-Q about their demands.

Speaking on the occasion, Elahi said the Punjab government had destroyed education by privatizing schools and now the government hospitals were also being leased out to favourites of Shehbaz Sharif. Dr Atif Chaudhry said Shehbaz Sharif was utilizing health budget on orange train whereas conditions in the government hospitals was alarming. Two to three patients were being treated on a single bed, he added.