LAHORE, Jan 12: The Punjab Health Department has sacked two young doctors of Lahore and transferred three others belonging to Multan for participating in the ongoing strike and disrupting the healthcare services in teaching hospitals.

The action was taken against them under the Essential Services Act imposed by the authorities according to which the presence of the doctors on designated duties and provision of treatment to the ailing patients at the state-run hospitals has been declared mandatory.

Dr Zulqernain and Dr Ishtiaq Bukhari of Services Hospital have been terminated following an inquiry launched against them under the Punjab Employees Efficiency, Discipline and Accountability (Act).

Young Doctors Association’s Multan chapter president Dr Mazhar Chaudhry has been transferred to Attock, YDA’s Punjab vice-president Ali Waqas from Multan to Mianwali and another YDA activist Dr Jahangir from Multan to Bhakkar.

These three doctors were held guilty of disrupting healthcare services to the patients at the teaching hospitals of Multan during recent strike and protests launched by the YDA in the wake of Gujranwala incident.

YDA spokesman Dr Mudasar termed the step a part of the conspiracy hatched against the young health professionals by creating differences between young and senior doctors which led to scuffle at Gujranwala District Headquarters Hospital.

He said the health authorities started termination and transfer of young doctors when the YDA had ended its recent strike as a ‘goodwill’ gesture and in the best interest of the ailing people.

He said presently he was not aware of exact number of young doctors sacked or transferred.

“The YDA is going to meet in coming days to devise a strategy in the wake of departmental actions by the health bureaucracy against their colleagues,” Dr Mudasar said.