PESHAWAR: Young Doctors Association winded up its protest camp after 71 days as government didn’t pay any attention to its demands.

The members of YDA are now focusing on province-wide peaceful demonstrations to be followed by a long march to the residence of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf chairman Imran Khan in Bani Gala, Islamabad.

The protesting doctors failed to close down services after the administration deployed police at Lady Reading Hospital on Wednesday and allowed them to hold demonstration peacefully. The leaders of YDA reiterated their demands including rescinding of decision regarding devolution of Postgraduate Medical Institute (PGMI), paying compensation to the families of their dead colleagues, reinstatement of the services of their leaders, who were terminated on account of violating law and protection of doctors.

Addressing the protesting doctors, YDA provincial vice president Dr Abdul Majid said that they did not want to disrupt patients’ care at the hospitals but they wanted the government to revoke the decision of devolution of PGMI for the sake of the future of those doctors, who were doing specialisation in different branches of medical science.

Plan province-wide protest, long march on Bani Gala

He said that the devolution plan would create problems for trainee medical officers. He asked government to reverse the law and restore the previous status of PGMI.

“We are not against the reforms programme initiated by the PTI-led government in the province but we want to convey our grievance to Imran Khan, who is being misguided by the health officials,” said Dr Majid.

He said that government must ensure protection of doctors so that they could deliver health services fearlessly. He said that they wouldn’t obstruct patients’ care but would hold a meeting of the general council on Monday wherein decisions about province-wide protest and a march towards Bani Gala would be made.

The YDA leader said that Peshawar High Court had stopped health department from enforcement of the decision about PGMI’s devolution. He said that government was required to implement the decision of court.

LRH director Dr Khalid Masud told Dawn that they had to ensure provision of services to patients at the biggest health facility of the province and could not afford to allow free ride to the agitating doctors.

“We have communicated to the doctors that they would be allowed peaceful protest but anyone trying to hamper services would be dealt with strictly,” he said.

Dr Khalid said that their primary responsibility was to provide effective care to the patients so they could not permit anyone to cause disruption. He said that operation at the hospital ran smoothly as OPDs, wards, operation theatres and diagnostic services remained functional as usual.

The YDA members said that government was unmoved by their peaceful protests due to which they would expand their agitation to the whole province.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2017