Nurses protest on The Mall demanding service structure and health risk allowance. — White Star
Nurses protest on The Mall demanding service structure and health risk allowance. — White Star

LAHORE: Scores of nurses lodged on Monday a strong protest on The Mall demanding service structure and health risk allowance.

The day-long agitation followed by a sit-in threw the traffic out of gear, causing a great deal of inconvenience to the motorists, shoppers and the traders running businesses alongside the city’s busiest artery.

The protest also exposed the performance of traffic police, which according to affected motorists, failed in evolving any alternate plan for hundreds of vehicles that got stuck in the mess for hours.

Several ambulances, police vehicles, and buses carrying wedding parties also failed to find a way to reach their destinations timely, according to some witnesses.

The demonstration was announced two days ago by the Young Nurses Association (YNA), Punjab chapter, intimating the authorities about the venue for the agitation.

The mismanagement invited wrath of many stuck-up motorists who shouted slogans against traffic police.

The main adjoining arteries that remained blocked for traffic included, the Queen’s Road, Davies Road, Lawrance Road, Hall Road, Kashmir Road, Mozang Road, besides some small streets.

The nurses boycotted their duties at the indoor and outdoor departments of the public hospitals and reached outside the Punjab Assembly building in groups.

Dozens of nurses from Multan, Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin also reached Lahore to join their colleagues.

Addressing the protesters, the YNA leaders said the health department had promised service structure for the nurses but failed to address the issue despite repeated requests and the reminders.

Initially, the health authorities remained unmoved by the demands of the nurses as no official effort was made to start negotiation with them.

In the afternoon, a nurses delegation led by YNA president Rozina Manzoor was invited to the health secretary’s office for negotiations.

However, both sides failed to reach any agreement after the YNA leaders refused to leave The Mall without issuance of a notification of the service structure and acceptance of other demands.

Later, the nurses postponed their sit-in till Tuesday morning.

Published in Dawn, May 31st, 2016

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