MULTAN, April 8: Doctors observed strike in all state-run hospitals, including basic health units, here on Monday.

In the Nishtar Hospital, doctors did not attend to patients except in the emergency ward. Dental doctors also stayed away from practice in support of the Pakistan Medical Association (PMA). The teaching at the Nishtar Medical College also remained suspended.

The PMA had announced a countrywide strike on April 8 against the government’s indifference towards doctors’ genuine demands.

It asked the government to provide adequate safety cover to doctors as 19 doctors had been shot dead in Karachi during the last couple of weeks.

The government should also provide employment to 12,000 doctors for the service commission had imposed a ban on the recruitment since 1994. Increase in the salaries of house surgeons was also demanded.

The PMA also asked to improve the condition of the state-run hospitals which were facing financial crisis because funds were not provided for the last four years.

It also wanted the removal of the condition which restricted the private practice of doctors.

The PMA also demanded a broad-based inquiry into the deaths of four people in June last at the Nishtar Hospital.

In Gujranwala, the Pakistan Medical Association observed an hour strike against the killing of doctors in Karachi and demanded early arrest of the culprits.

Speaking at a meeting held under the chairmanship of PMA president Dr Ishtiaq Tarar, the participants adopted a resolution demanding that steps should be taken for the protection of doctors.

All the doctors of tehsil headquarter hospitals and rural health centres and basic health units also observed a strike from 11am to 12 O’clock. However, they attended the patients in emergency wards.