ISLAMABAD, Aug 10: Young Doctors Association (YDA) of Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) on Wednesday locked several departments of the hospital rendering them out of bounds for patients.

The doctors were demanding an early notification of Health Personal Pay Scale announced by Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in April this year.

An official of the Pims said crippling strike by YDA forced Pims executive director and several administration officials to leaves the hospital.

“We have locked every office of the Pims management forcing Prof Mehmood Jamal and his management to leave the hospital,” YDA spokesperson Dr Owais Nizami told Dawn.

He said on Thursday too all the outpatient departments and internal health services of Pims would remain closed.

Dr Niazmi said that they were hopeful that the prime minister would look into the concerns of the YDA.

Several hundred patients visited the outpatient department on Wednesday but could not get an appointment with physicians.

“Almost every room of different departments were locked and there were no doctors,” a dejected patient Fahad Khan told Dawn.

He said that attitude of doctors towards the patients was not fair and they were treated roughly.

Fahad also called on the Capital Administration and Development Division to take notice of the maltreatment of patients by the doctors.

A senior faculty member requesting anonymity added: “The Capital Administration Development Division (CADD) should take notice of the matter because the officials concerned are not taking the issue seriously.”

The official said that hospital’s working had been suspended for the last 20 days and none of the officials from the federal government took notice of the strike.

Meanwhile, no official of Pims was available for comments despite repeated attempts.