LAHORE: The Punjab leadership of Young Doctors Association (YDA) is divided over continuation of the strike at the outpatient departments (OPDs) in public hospitals in protest against an anti-corruption raid to nab a doctor accused of funds embezzlement and misuse of the Services Hospital resources.

A YDA insider told Dawn that some senior office-bearers were of the view that since both the Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE) and the health authorities had agreed to accept their demands, there was no need to continue the strike.

“The seniors wanted to contest the corruption case against (YDA) senior vice-president Dr Atif Majeed and information secretary Dr Salman Haseeb on a legal forum, but the younger lot was not ready to buy the assurances given by the ACE and health authorities of accepting our demands,” he said, seeking anonymity.

Meanwhile, the young doctors continued their boycott of the Services Hospital OPD but resumed work at the indoor wards and emergency department on Saturday.

YDA’s Services Hospital chapter activists had forced closure of the emergency and indoor wards on the night of Feb 20 when an EAC team reached the infirmary to arrest Dr Atif Majeed, accused of embezzling Rs75 million hospital funds.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2017