RAWALPINDI: The young doctors of the garrison city on Thursday staged a protest on Murree Road leaving vehicular traffic stranded for more than two hours.

Addressing on the occasion, the young doctors warned that if the Punjab government did not repeal the Medical Teaching Institute (MTI) Reforms Act 2018 they would march on Lahore.

In response to the strike call given by Grand Health Alliance (GHA) Punjab, over 400 young doctors, led by Dr Rana Azeem of Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Dr. Sarmad of DHQ Hospital and Dr. Malik Shehryar Holy Family Hospital and Para Medical Association President Malik Shakil gathered at the BBH in the morning and blocked Murree Road for traffic for two hours.

The protesters, carrying placards inscribed with their demands, chanted slogans against the provincial government and Punjab Chief Minister and health minister for not taking the matter seriously.

They blocked the road for more than one hour and dispersed peacefully.

Addressing the gathering, the speakers vowed to continue the protest till the acceptance of their demands and said the government should improve doctors’ service structure.

On the other hand, the patients suffered a lot because of the doctors’ strike. They kept shuttling between outpatients and emergency departments in search of doctors.

“The hospital staff informed that doctors were checking the patients in emergency department while rooms in OPDs were empty. Long queues of patients can be seen in emergency department,” said Mohammad Akhter, a patient at BBH.

Sajid Sheikh said that he came to the DHQ hospital for treatment of flu and fever but no doctor was available.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2019