MIRPURKHAS, April 16: The Joint Action Committee of Pakistan Medical Association and Paramedical Staff Association Mirpurkhas chapter, demanded of the government to immediately appoint doctors and paramedical staff at vacant posts in the district, particularly in the Civil Hospital.

At a meeting here on Monday, leaders of the two associations demanded to set up a police picket on permanent basis in the hospital for protection of doctors and paramedics.

They warned to suspend work and burn their educational degrees in case their demands were not met in a week’s time.

The meeting, presided over by the President of PMA Mirpurkhas, Dr Abdul Majeed Memon, was attended by PMA Secretary Dr Tariq Arain, Civil Surgeon Dr Roshan Ali Bhatti, Dr Akram Mehmood Sultan, Dr Imdad Leghari, representatives of paramedical staff, including Umer Daudpoto and Pershotam Das.

The representatives told the meeting that doctors and staff were feeling insecure after the recent attacks on doctors and staff in the hospital.

The meeting expressed its concern over failure of the district administration to provide protection to doctors and staff in the civil hospital.

After the meeting, Civil Surgeon Dr Roshan Ali Bhatti told journalists that he was facing acute shortage of doctors and staff as a number of posts of doctors and staff were lying vacant for years and despite his request to the health officials, no measures were taken by the authorities.

The vacant posts included senior gynaecologist (grade-19), senior physician (grade-19), senior ophthalmologist (grade-19), senior radiologist (grade-19), two posts of senior medical officers and six posts of grade-17 medical officers.