PEOPLE are facing a plethora of problems. On the one hand, they are in a pathetic condition because of poor governance and, on the other hand, frequent strikes by the Young Doctors’ Association (YDA) are adding insult to the injuries of the people.

We have witnessed that the YDA has been agitating for three years intermittently. They started agitation to improve their service structure but their demands were abstruse and opened Pandora’s box.

For instance, to give them facilities equal to the DMG group of civil service, direct induction into grade 18 and upgradation of their scales, etc. During their strike they threatened the Punjab government that they would relinquish the work in emergencies, besides OPDs and other departments.

Similarly, they chanted slogans against the government and bureaucracy.

In the meanwhile, negotiation started and government assured the YDA to acknowledge their right demands but failed to implement. The YDA castigated bureaucracy and considered it a stumbling block in the implementation of its demands.

For the second time, the YDA stirred up and decided to start a massive protest and threatened to invade the Chief Minister’s Secretariat, Lahore. However, their demands were accepted on the first day of the strike. But, regrettably, these strikes didn’t halt.

Last year, some YDA activists of Gujranwala scuffled with their senior colleagues. The police arrested several activists. Besides, the health department took stern action against some YDA activists transferring them to far -flung areas and terminating the services of some others.

As a result, the YDA again went on strike to show solidarity with the Gujranwala activists. This time they decided on a sit-in outside hospitals. More than 100 YDA activists vowed to observe hunger strike unto death till the Gujranwala fiasco is resolved.

Such strikes are affecting the daily activities of the public. For example, traffic is blocked due to strikes, and ambulances trying to reach hospitals get stuck. Likewise, students cannot reach their institutions on time, while professionals also face problems in reaching their workplaces.

The people get frustrated which lead to psychological problems. Ultimately, some strictures come from civil society against the stubborn YDA. Besides these problems, treatment of patients and health infrastructure are also affected badly.

The underprivileged, who come to hospitals for treatment, return to their homes with their misery without getting any relief as OPDs remain closed. Most people who come to public hospitals are poor. They cannot afford expensive private hospitals, and depend on public healthcare. They now frequently face misery as they are victims of strikes by the YDA. Although we always blame politicians, but we are not able to reform ourselves.

MOHSIN NIAZI      Mianwali