QUETTA: Grand Heal­­th Alliance Balochistan staged a rally on Saturday against a plan to privatise government hospitals in the provincial capital.

A large number of government hospital employees, including paramedics and nurses, gathered in the Civil Hospital and ma­­r­­ched on the main roads and streets of Quetta.

The alliance leaders Salam Zehri, Jamal Shah Kakar, Haji Shafaa Men­gal, Lala Sultan and others addressed the protesters.

They said that instead of ensuring the provision of facilities in hospitals, the government is planning to privatise them.

The protesters chanted slogans against the government and criticised the plan.

The protesters deman­ded the removal of Balo­ch­istan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti and decla­red him “incompetent”.

They said instead of giving hospitals into private ownership, their conditions should be improved so that free healthcare can be made available to people.

They vowed to resist the privatisation and deman­ded the government to reconsider its decision.

They also claimed that they met with the pro-vincial health secretary to discuss the issue and informed the authorities of their stance and reservations.

Published in Dawn, April 7th, 2024