MARDAN/KOHAT: The paramedical associations of Mardan and Kohat divisions on Friday threatened to boycott anti-polio campaign starting from Jan 21 to press the provincial government for acceptance of their demands, including start of BS classes in the Postgraduate Paramedical Institute (PGPI), Peshawar.

In Mardan, the association’s divisional president Sharafatullah Yousafzai, Mardan district president Taj Mohammad, Swabi president Fazil Hakeem and others complained at a press conference that the provincial health minister had not been giving them time to resolve their issues since long.

Mr Yousafzai said that the provincial government had so far failed to implement notification of one-time promotion issued by the same party’s previous rulers. He said that some elements were creating hurdles in way of starting BS classes in the Postgraduate Paramedical Institute, Peshawar.

He claimed that recently one-sided amendments in MTI Act had created fear among the paramedics. He added that the amendments had affected basic rights of the employees and these should be withdrawn.

Mr Yousafzai urged the government to give proper representation to the paramedical staff in the provincial health task committee so as to devise a durable health policy. He threatened to boycott the coming anti-polio drive and even OPDs to press the government for acceptance of their demands.

Meanwhile, the paramedics associations of Kohat and Hangu opposed the merger of the Postgraduate Paramedical Institute with medical colleges.

At separate meetings the presidents of the associations of Hangu and Kohat, Haji Luqman and Rashid Bokhari, respectively, said that they would observe complete strike on Jan 29 and stage a protest in front of the provincial assembly the same day. They, however, said that emergency services would continue.

They regretted that the institute was closed for the last 10 years where the paramedics were provided BSc education. They said that the government was adopting delaying tactics in promotion of paramedics to the next grade.

Published in Dawn, January 19th, 2019