KARACHI, Feb 29: Several doctors and nurses, who had qualified for the post of medical officers, specialists and nurses in the Sindh health department, staged protest demonstrations outside the Sindh Secretariat and Karachi Press Club on Friday to express their concern over the delay in the issuance of job letters.

About 70 doctors and nurses from Larkana, Hyderbad, Sukkur, Karachi, Dadu and Badin and other districts stood for the cause of 2,100 candidates, who were found suitable for the jobs on a one-year contract basis but have not been handed over the appointment letters so far. Holding banners, the demonstrators demanded that job letters be issued to all the successful candidates by March 3.

The candidates had passed a written test for jobs in the categories of general physician/medical officer (grade 17), specialists (grade 18) and the nursing cadre (grade 16). The test was conducted on November 4, 2007.

A delegation of doctors later called on Sindh Health Minister Fauzia Lari at her office and requested her to intervene and provide relief to hundreds of qualified candidates, who have been waiting for appointment letters. She assured them that she had talked to the chief secretary and the letters would be issued within the next couple of days.