RAWALPINDI: Young doctors continued their strike on Tuesday to press the Punjab government to repeal Medical Teaching Institute (MTI) Reforms Act 2018.

The strike created problems for thousands of patients at outpatient departments (OPDs) at three government hospitals in the garrison city.

In response to a call, the young doctors went on strike, which entered 13th day on Tuesday.

“The strike will continue till the acceptance of their demands and the doctors will observe strike on Wednesday (today) also,” YDA Rawalpindi President Dr Rana Azeem told Dawn.

He said: “We have informed them that doctors are demanding minor things which will improve the health services.”

Saleem Khan, a patient suffering from fever at DHQ, opposed the strike and said that he came from Tench Bhatta to get medical treatment but no doctor was present in the OPD.

There was no doctor present at HFH OPD, departments of ENT, surgery, liver and medicine whereas some doctors of YDA forced senior doctors at children ward to leave their rooms.

“I have been waiting for doctor for the last two hours to get myself checked, but to no avail. I am suffering from allergy and cannot pay hefty fee to private doctors,” said Zaheer Shah, a patient at BBH.

A senior doctor said that only young doctors were on strike while the rest were on duty and checking the patients. He said he visited all the departments to ensure the presence of senior doctors in order to provide medical treatment to patients.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2019