LAHORE: One of the demonstrators participating in the sit-in of lady health workers (LHWs) on The Mall died at a hospital on Tuesday morning.

Fazeelat had come from Jhelum on Monday to participate in the sit-in at Charing Cross. She fell unconscious in the evening that day and was taken to the nearby Sir Ganga Ram Hospital.

“The woman was immediately shifted to the intensive care unit where clinical investigations revealed she had a brain haemorrhage. She breathed her last on Tuesday morning,” said a senior medical officer of the hospital’s emergency department.

Sit-in continues for second consecutive day

When Lady Health Workers Association president Rukhsana Anwar announced Fazeelat’s death at the protest camp set up in front of the Punjab Assembly building, around half a dozen demonstrators fell unconscious and had to be shifted to the same hospital. Doctors at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital’s emergency department said all the patients had been discharged after necessary medical aid.

Meanwhile, the lady health workers continued their sit-in for the second consecutive day on Tuesday to press for their demands. They continued raising slogans demanding payment of two-year outstanding dues, upgraded pay scales and implementation of service structure.

Ms Anwar told the media that senior officials of the primary and secondary healthcare department were making promises only and taking no concrete measures to address their problems. She said the workers would continue to protest till the acceptance of all their demands.

Opposition Leader in the Punjab Assembly Mian Mahmoodur Rasheed also visited the protest camp and assured the workers of raising his voice in the provincial legislature for their demands.

Closure of the GPO Chowk for construction of Orange Line Metro Train’s central station had already been causing traffic jams on The Mall and its adjoining roads when the sit-in at Charing Cross multiplied the woes of motorists using the thoroughfare and adjoining roads for the second day on Tuesday.

Carrying placards and banners inscribed with their demands, the lady health workers were demonstrating at the Charing Cross till the filing of this report.

Published in Dawn, March 28th, 2018