PESHAWAR: The police briefly detained two protesters on Wednesday as the young doctors of the Lady Reading Hospital continued with their hunger strike against what they called the ‘government’s apathy towards their demands for financial incentives and protection for them, reversal of the devolution of the Postgraduate Medical Institute, and payment of stipend to trainee medical officers.

Gathered on the call of the Young Doctors’ Association, the doctors first demonstrated at the Lady Reading Hospital and then blocked the road near the provincial assembly for an hour to press the government for accepting their demands.

The association began hunger strike a week ago asking the government to withdraw its decision to devolve the PGMI and retain its central status to benefit those doing specialisation in their respective medical fields.

YDA provincial president Dr Gulab Noor told protesters that they had been demanding compensation for the death of their five colleagues, who were killed by the gas leak from geysers at private hospitals of late but their families had yet to get financial assistance from the government.

Accuse govt of not fulfilling promises on incentives, protection and other demands

He said the postmortem reports confirmed that the gas leak had caused at least two deaths.

Dr Gulab claimed that Dr Waqas was taken to the LRH after he dehydrated at the hunger strike camp on Wednesday’s morning but the administration got him and Dr Amjad arrested by the police.

He added that the two young doctors were later released after brief detention at the Kabuli police station.

The YDA president said the government should permanently resolve the doctors’ issues of accommodation and security.

“The government is showing no interest in building new hostels for doctors as it has accommodated them in private hospitals away from their workplaces, where they face security threats.

“We have called a meeting of the association’s general council tonight to decide the further line of action,” he said.

Earlier, the protesters marched from the LRH to the provincial assembly building holding banners inscribed with ‘go Burki go’ slogan.

The YDA president said Dr Nausherwan Burki, chairman of the LRH board of governors, had harmed the healthcare system in the province by taking unreasonable measures in the garb of reforms.

He said the hunger strike camp at Suri Pul would stay up until the association’s demands were met by the government.

On the occasion, YDA joint secretary Dr Ahmad Zeb said the doctors had hoped that the PTI government would reform the health sector to improve patient care but things had worsened due to the illogical steps of the government.

He said the doctors had held a meeting with the health secretary on May 15 wherein most of the issues were resolved but later the government backtracked on the promises regarding the demands.

“We want the government to release the stipend of 500 trainee medical officers, who were selected in January this year,” he said.

In the day, the Lady Reading Hospital outpatient department and operation theatre remained closed forcing patients to either return unattended or visit private clinics.

Published in Dawn, June 1st, 2017