KARACHI: Protesting healthcare workers have refused to resume their duties unless the Sindh government makes the withdrawn health risk allowance permanent part of their salaries.

Junior doctors, nurses, paramedics and other healthcare workers continued with their sit-in outside the Sindh Secretariat under the aegis of the Grand Health Alliance (GHA) on Wednesday as outpatient departments at public sector hospitals remained closed across the province – but this time on account of a public holiday.

“We will not resume our duties unless the government makes the health risk allowance permanent part of our salaries,” said Dr Mehboob Ali of the GHA, adding that the protesters might march towards the Chief Minister House on Thursday (today) if the alliance committee so decided.

About the negotiations with the government, he said there was no breakthrough.

Sit-in outside Sindh Secretariat continues; patients’ sufferings fail to draw attention of grand alliance, Sindh govt

“They [health department officials] can’t even implement the commitments they had made with us. We suspended our protest earlier on their promises. But there was no positive development and we stand by our demand. In fact, the government is forcing us to opt for an extreme step by arresting and suspending our colleagues from service,” he said.

Asked about the troubles patients are facing due to their strike, he said: “We are poor too. Many of our colleagues are unable to pay school fees of their children after the government has withdrawn the health risk allowance. What other options we have except for taking to the streets for our demand?”

Meanwhile, patients across Sindh continued to face difficulties as OPDs remained closed at public sector hospitals on account of Nov 9, a public holiday.

Only patients requiring immediate treatment were attended at the emergency departments.

Earlier, they were holding a token strike of two hours at hospitals.

On Tuesday, the healthcare providers across Sindh went on a complete strike on Tuesday, which saw the death of three patients at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH). The day also saw a stand-off between the GHA protesters trying to march towards the CM House and the police. The latter detained over a dozen paramedics and nurses.

The health department last month withdrew the Covid-19 risk allowance on grounds that the pandemic no longer posed a threat to the population.

The allowance was announced over two years ago when the pandemic had struck the country. An amount of Rs17,000 was given to the healthcare providers from grade one to 16 whereas Rs35,000 to those above grade 16. It was discontinued in 2020 as well, but later was resumed following protests.

Published in Dawn, November 10th, 2022