PESHAWAR: Paramedics have announced to go on strike in government-run hospitals on March 7 against the delay in acceptance of their demands regarding service structure, appointment of qualified staff and provision of allowances.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Provincial Paramedical Association Khyber Pakhtunkhwa held at Lady Reading Hospital with the body’s president Syed Ruidar Shah in the chair.

A statement issued here said the paramedics were aggrieved over the delay in implementation of the service structure, and urged the government to allow the health workers to continue private practice.

The participants also demanded allowance for computer operators, and adjustment of the promoted staff members at the relevant posts of grade-16 and 17.

The health workers also demanded regularisation of all the contract employees and turning CP fund into GP fund.

On the occasion, Ruidar Shah said the paramedics had presented charter of demands to the government time and again but no serious attention was given toward them. The meeting asked the provincial government to accept their demands till March 6 otherwise the health workers across the province would observe complete strike the next day, and also hold a rally outside the provincial assembly.

The future line of action, the statement said would also be announced in the rally.

Meanwhile, the members of All Pakistan Paramedical Staff Federation (Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chapter) demonstrated outside the press club against delay in award of service structure.

Published in Dawn, February 25th, 2018